Fresh off a hard-fought win over the red-hot New York Knicks, Sunday the OKC Thunder played host to the reigning champion Boston Celtics in what many viewed as their biggest matchup of the season.
While the game certainly seemed to be an incredibly daunting affair right from the jump, with Boston cultivating as much as a 10-point edge leading into the break, ultimately a second-half surge from Oklahoma City proved pivotal as they clawed their way back and, in the end, pulled out a 105-92 win to move to 30-5 on the year.
Veteran guard Luguentz Dort served as a driving force in the club's comeback, as he dropped 14 points during the final 24 minutes of action while going a perfect 3-for-3 from distance over the last 2:22 of the contest to help put things out of reach.
Following the game, the two-guard received ample praise from teammates, fans, and analysts alike, and even earned Player of the Game honors.
Amid the post-contest celebrations, Dort was asked by sideline reporter Nick Gallo how he and his teammates managed to "sustain throughout and just stay patient" despite their slow start to the night (shot just 41.7 percent from the field and trailed 65-55 heading into the half).
In response, the Thunder favorite stated that team-wide "trust" was the key to dealing with the early adversities.
Lu Dort says 'trust' has helped OKC Thunder sustain their play
"I had a bad start but my teammates kept finding me and I started to gain more confidence," Dort said.
What's important to realize about Dort's postgame commentary is that not only does it highlight a major theme that directly impacted him against the Celtics, but it's simply the most recent example of an ongoing pattern throughout their, now, 15-game winning streak.
During this league-leading stretch, the Thunder have seen several different players step up in big moments, and, what's worth noting is that they haven't all been star cornerstones such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
Four games earlier, OKC saw rookie phenom Ajay Mitchell put up a career-best showing in a surprise start against the Memphis Grizzlies. In said contest, he wrapped with 17 points on 54.5 percent shooting from the floor and 60.0 percent from distance while finishing with the third-highest plus-minus (+20) during their 130-106 route.
This past Friday during their 117-103 win over the Knicks, it was Aaron Wiggins who was the recipient of trust among his teammates, as SGA openly admitted that he was targeting him toward the end of the game. He would capitalize on his teammate's faith in him by dropping 19 points on 77.8 percent shooting from the floor and 66.7 percent shooting from deep.
Against Boston, Dort was the latest beneficiary of this luxury and made the most of the opportunity.
Now, ahead of Wednesday's matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it's exciting to think of who could be the next person to step up and take advantage of the confidence this Thunder team attempts to instill into all of its players.