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OKC Thunder play the perfect game against the Clippers

By Rylan Stiles

Josh Giddey #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes to the basket against Yuta Watanabe #18 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on December 8, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
Josh Giddey #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes to the basket against Yuta Watanabe #18 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on December 8, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /
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The OKC Thunder entered Saturday evening looking to wash the bad taste from Wednesday’s buzzer-beating loss on a 61-foot Devonte Graham shot as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took on his former team, the L.A. Clippers. This was the rare game the Oklahoma City Thunder fanbase could come together on. No matter if you are pro or anti-tank, the team owns the Clippers’ draft pick this season, no matter the outcome of this contest the Thunder improved their draft stock.

Mark Daigneault started the night off with a big surprise when he benched third-year forward Darius Bazley, the former New Balance intern who previously started 84 straight contests for the OKC Thunder, but came off the pine in this game in favor of Aaron Wiggins. Bazley, the team’s former first-round pick put up ten puts and two rebounds while logging 24-minutes. The Thunder’s 55th overall pick in this year’s draft, Wiggins, chipped in five points, three rebounds, an assist, and a block, in 18-minutes.

OKC Thunder play the perfect game against the L.A. Clippers

Outside of the pregame fireworks, the on-court product would not be out-done. This game featured a near triple-double by Josh Giddey as the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, hauled in 18 rebounds, yes, 18. While dishing out ten assists, but chipping in just eight points on 14 shot attempts. Giddey had a phenomenal game, and make a huge winning impact. Once again confirming Sam Presti knocked the sixth overall pick out of the park given the options he had available.

Lu Dort, who returned from an ankle injury, put up 29 points to the tune of 63-percent from the floor, and 50-percent from three-point land. The undrafted Arizona State product also collected two steals, pulled in five rebounds, and dished out an assist. Dort is having a career year and has turned from a once two-way contract player to just a two-way player doing it on both ends of the floor.

The OKC Thunder saw fan-favorites Tre Mann and Aleksej Pokusevski each reach double digits as Poku produced ten points, and Tre Mann launched (and made) three triples on his way to 11 points while adding more dazzling plays to his highlight tape.

Finally, the back-and-forth game wrapped up at the final buzzer when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City’s max contract point guard who was traded to Bricktown via the Clippers, hoisted a step-back buzzer-beater to clip the Clippers. He finished with 18-points, six assists, three rebounds, and a steal while shooting 50-percent from the floor and 40-percent from downtown.

As the OKC Thunder win 104-103, fans can take joy in the thrilling ending, the improved draft pick, and the fact that the team was carried by all their young prospects that are key pieces to this rebuild panning out.

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