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Chet Holmgren-sized hole filled and 3 other Thunder takeaways from win vs. Clippers
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Chet Holmgren-sized hole filled and 3 other Thunder takeaways from win vs. Clippers

After a deflating performance on Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors in which they suffered their second loss of the season and unfortunately lost big man Chet Holmgren to a hip fracture, the OKC Thunder bounced back in a big way on the second night of their outing. back-to-back in a home game against the LA Clippers.

In the wake of Holmgren’s unfortunate absence, coach Mark Daigneault opted to go incredibly small with his starting unit and fill their 7-foot-1 hole with 6-foot-1 Jalen Williams.

Despite the obvious size advantage Los Angeles might have had with 7-foot-4, 240-pound Ivica Zubac manning the middle, Oklahoma City managed to turn that lead into a moot point thanks to their sensational defensive help and white-hot scoring output that provided they dropped a whopping 41 points in the second quarter while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 53.8 percent from deep.

Such a run would help the Thunder take control of the game heading into the second half with a 66-53 lead on their side.

While the Clippers managed to make a comeback late in the game, when Norman Powell (31 points) and company pulled the score within just two points with less than a minute to play in the final period, OKC withered never during the last period. all setbacks and in turn pulled away with a 134-128 victory.

Jalen Williams will undoubtedly be an All-Star in 2024-2025

Entering the season, Jalen Williams was seen as one of the top youngsters in the league who looked poised for a breakout to stardom in year three. After eleven games played and especially after Monday night’s blowout, there seems to be no doubt that he will be one of the players selected to take part in the illustrious exhibition in the Bay Area in February.

Frankly, it was his ability to seize the opportunity to play in the five against the Clippers and not miss a beat that suggests he has officially arrived at the coveted star level.

In 35 minutes played, Williams dropped 28 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals while shooting 68.8 percent from the floor and 66.7 percent from deep.

While his box score from the match is undeniably sensational, it was the manner in which he recorded these figures, especially in the scoring department, that was to be celebrated above all else.

From his effortless finishing ability to his overall progress as a self-creator, J-Dub’s improvements were on full display against LA and, in addition to the always-electric production from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (45 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, 5 steals, and 2 blocks ), were the main reason why the Thunder were able to get their ninth win of the year.

Alex Caruso was well worth the investment

Not all contributions make it to the stat sheet and so far in his tenure with the Thunder, Alex Caruso’s impact on this team has been felt more on the hardwood and through the eye test than within the box score.

Yes, his 12 points, 2 rebounds and a steal on 57.1 percent shooting from the floor and 40.0 percent shooting from deep were certainly positive contributions to OKC’s victory, but it was his efforts on the crisp, decisive aspect of the game that proved truly invaluable.

Despite standing just 6-foot-1 and weighing 186 pounds, the veteran was often tasked with playing defense against the likes of Zubac during his 19 minutes of play, where he proved surprisingly effective at holding his position and forcing the opponent. colossal to shoot just 40.0 percent during the crucial fourth quarter on attempts where he was the main participant.

Alex Caruso has made a career as a tenacious player who always goes above and beyond when he’s on the floor, and this tough attitude was once again on display when the Thunder needed it most.

This small-ball setup CANNOT be confidently trusted to progress

Yeah, it’s pretty exciting that this small lineup managed to pull out a win, especially considering they were on the second night of a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. However, emotions should not get in the way of the reality of things; this setup is not something the Thunder can be confident about moving forward.

Even though guys like Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso were able to hold their own somewhat individually and with off-ball help while serving as centers, the duo combined for a whopping nine fouls and, at least in Caruso’s case, looked absolutely gassed out. towards the end of the game.

Let’s also not forget that they played Ivica Zubac and not Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Town or Nikola Jokic. Against a more offensively gifted big player, Monday’s outcome could very well have been very different.

It took six double-digit scoring efforts and a 45-point performance to pad Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s stat sheet to pull off a six-point win over the, now, 6-5 Clippers.

Above all, the biggest takeaway from the night is that Oklahoma City has missed Chet Holmgren dearly, and can’t wait for players like Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein to be medically cleared to play so they can finally have a big presence in the club again. their front field.