Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder rebounded from their Thursday night time loss to the Dallas Mavericks by defeating the Portland Path Blazers 118-108 on Sunday, January 26. The sport additionally marked Isaiah Hartenstein’s return to the courtroom after lacking the Thunder’s earlier 5 matchups.
The Thunder’s MVP candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, powered the group with a powerful 35-point outing, including 5 rebounds and one help to his stat line.
Isaiah Hartenstein’s ideas on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
“We now have an MVP participant enjoying nice protection night time in, night time out. He leads the league in blocks from a guard. He makes the hustle performs. He is a group man,” stated Hartenstein when speaking about Gilgeous-Alexander after the sport.
Thunder star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.1 factors, 6.0 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks per recreation whereas taking pictures a powerful 52.8% from the sphere. His elevated impression on profitable has solidified him as a real game-changer this season.
A middle has claimed the NBA MVP award for 4 straight seasons, with Jokic profitable 3 times and Joel Embiid as soon as. Including Antetokounmpo’s back-to-back wins earlier than that, a frontcourt participant has earned the honour yearly since 2019.
For Gilgeous-Alexander, reaching this feat in the course of the 2024-25 season could be much more outstanding as a guard. He has already claimed each Western Convention Participant of the Month honors this season, incomes the award for October and November mixed, in addition to for December.
The Thunder dismantling the Trailblazers
Jalen Williams additionally contributed 24 factors, 5 rebounds, and eight assists, whereas Isaiah Joe added 16 factors, 4 rebounds, and one help to assist the Western Convention leaders bounce again from their current defeat.
“We now have an All-Star in Dub, who’s to me most likely some of the underrated defenders within the league,” Isaiah Hartenstein added when speaking about Jalen Williams.
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In his return, Hartenstein put up 14 factors, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out six assists in 33 minutes of motion.
The 26-year-old is averaging at 11.8 factors, 12.2 rebounds, 4.1 help and a couple of.2 shares per recreation throughout 24 matches for the facet within the present season.
Hartenstein notched his sixteenth double-double in 25 video games this season because the Thunder shot 47.2% from the sphere and 33.3% (10-of-30) from past the arc.
Deni Avdija delivered a powerful efficiency with 28 factors, eight assists, and 7 rebounds for Portland. The group made a push within the ultimate interval, narrowing the hole to 93-88 after Anfernee Simons’ free throws. Nonetheless, the Thunder responded with a banked three-pointer from Williams to increase the result in 96-88, adopted by a three-pointer from Alex Caruso that stretched the rating to 105-90.
15 consecutive losses towards the Thunder
Portland related on 45% of their three-point makes an attempt (18-of-40) however was dominated within the paint, getting outscored 52-22. The Trailblazers have now misplaced 15 consecutive video games to Oklahoma Metropolis, together with all three matchups this season.
Rookie heart Donovan Clingan, who has handled accidents all through the season, made his return Friday night time in a win over the Charlotte Hornets , contributing 13 rebounds and 4 blocks.
The Thunder leads the NBA in steals for the second consecutive season, a feat coach Mark Daigneault attributes to the defensive talent of their prime gamers relatively than his teaching. “At our stage, it’s the standard of defensive personnel,” Daigneault defined.