Thunder clawed back from a third-quarter slump, fueled by clutch plays from Jalen Williams, to snatch a gritty victory before All-Star break.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were at risk of losing its third straight game for the first time in a couple of years on Monday night, facing the Los Angeles Lakers on the road without its best player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who remains sidelined for at least another week.
For a stretch of this game, it looked like it might be a replica of what happened against the Houston Rockets over the weekend.
The Thunder came out with a hot start and built a double-digit lead midway through the second quarter. OKC had all the momentum and was on the cusp of breaking the game open by 20-plus points and running away with it. But just like Houston did, the Lakers chipped away at the deficit and made it a close game by halftime.
Then, just like in that game over the weekend, the third quarter was abysmal for the Thunder. The offense became extremely static and stagnant, which allowed the Lakers to build a lead of their own and threaten to push it into double digits. This time, though, the Thunder responded.
The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle, but OKC got stops late and executed on the other end. Jalen Williams made several big buckets down the stretch, helping the Thunder secure a 119-110 win.
It was a strong showing from newly acquired Jared McCain, who made an immediate impact in the second quarter with a sudden scoring burst. He finished the night as a +10, one of the better plus-minus marks on the team.
Alex Caruso was also huge, especially in the second half. He finished with 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting and provided steady two-way production. Cason Wallace chipped in defensively alongside Lu Dort, helping contain the Lakers’ stars throughout the night.
Isaiah Joe caught fire in the first half, going 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and serving as the team’s offensive lifeline in the opening two quarters.
Meanwhile, in his first game back from a hamstring injury, Jalen Williams not only delivered the biggest shots of the final stretch but also led the Thunder with 23 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter alone.
From here, the Thunder will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Wednesday night.