Gameday preview: OKC Thunder forage for revenge against Spurs after double-OT thriller
By Alex Mcewen
The OKC Thunder lost a nail-biter in San Antonio on Thursday night. However, due to the home-and-home OKC has another chance to knock off the Spurs tonight.
The OKC Thunder lost their third game in a row, at the hands of the Spurs. This marks the first time Oklahoma City has lost three consecutive contests, since starting the season 0-4. In the grand scheme of things, the Thunder are 4-6 in their last 10 games which punctuates the team’s recent struggles.
However, those numbers were overlooked and irrelevant due to the sheer magnificence of the double-overtime classic in San Antonio. The contest between the Thunder and Spurs on Thursday had everything an NBA fan could ask for (excluding the botched calls), and much, much, more.
It was the first 300 point game in Thunder franchise history, it was also the first 300 point game since December 7, 2006. The game marked the first time any team scored 150 or more since March 16, 2010, when the Suns posted 152 versus the Timberwolves.
Other records and Milestones
- Russell Westbrook: Recorded the second ever 24-point 24-assist triple-double. Joining Isiah Thomas as the only other player to post such numbers.
- Jerami Grant: Set a career-high in points with 25, marking the fourth time this season Grant has set or tied his career-high in points.
- LaMarcus Aldridge: Became the first Spur to score 50 or more since Tony Parker posted a double nickel on November 5, 2008.
- Spurs: Set the all-time record for most made threes without a miss at 14-14. They surpassed the previous record established by the Thunder in 2016-17.
- Spurs: Became the first team to shoot 80 percent or better when attempting a minimum of 19 threes.
I've never seen a team shoot 16-17 from 3 in a game.
— Jon Hamm (@JonMHamm) January 11, 2019
And also: be unable to win in regulation OR in the first OT.
Amazeballs.
Related Story. Key takeaways from NBA game of the year. light
Unstoppable L-Train
For the second straight match, the Thunder allowed an opposing to go off for 40-plus points. First, Andrew Wiggins of the Timberwolves, then Aldridge of the Spurs hit Oklahoma City for 56 points, a career high. Aldridge also established new career highs in free throws and field goals made. OKC has allowed four 40-plus point outbursts this season, the most among any West playoff team and tied with the Jazz and Suns for the most overall in the West.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored a career-high 56 points in Thursday's 2OT win against the Thunder--the most in a home game in Spurs history.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 11, 2019
It's the 3rd-most points in any game in @spurs franchise history and the most since David Robinson dropped 71 on April 24, 1994 at the Clippers. pic.twitter.com/91enaWUPSz
Lost in LMA’s 56-point performance is the fact he did not make or attempt a single three. He joined Anthony Davis as the only other player in the last 10 years to score 50-plus points without hitting a three.
Aldridge became the first player to score 50 without attempting a three since Jermaine O’Neal did so on January 4, 2005. The last Spur to post 56 or more was Davis ‘The Admiral’ Robinson when he went off for 71 points on April 24, 1994.