Thunder Holds Off Lakers
The Big Picture
The eyes of the entire NBA world were locked on the Thunder’s matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, and in a primetime game on national television, the youngest team in the NBA stood tall against a veteran-laden, record-setting Lakers squad for a 133-130 road victory.
On the second night of a back-to-back, it was the Thunder who seemed to have the most juice, tracking down loose balls and making hustle plays all over the floor. OKC took a lead after an excellent first quarter, then burst out on a 14-2 Thunder run in the second quarter to eventually build a 15-point lead.
With 10.9 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Lakers forward LeBron James hit a fadeaway jump shot at the left elbow to break the NBA’s all-time scoring record, vaulting him to 38,388 career points. The game was stopped for an on-court celebration, including the honorary passing of the basketball from the previous record-holder, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to James as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was on hand.
With the action stopped and the Thunder’s momentum extinguished, the Lakers chipped away at OKC’s lead to start the fourth quarter, tying the game at 106. The Thunder responded with a 12-0 fourth-quarter run, then held on in the final moments for the victory.
Observations
First Quarter
Nick: All three Williams’ on the floor to start the game for the Thunder hit a 3-pointer (Kenrich, Jalen, and Jaylin) in the first three minutes of action as the Thunder tried to use kick outs to generate easy catch-and-shoot looks and to evade the shot-blocking presences of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Thomas Bryant. In the first quarter alone, the Thunder hit seven total 3-pointers and eclipsed the 30-point mark in the first quarter for the 11th time in the last 18 games.
Paris: Mike Muscala got the ball at the tip of the key – his go-to spot for a bucket in transition. The veteran received a pass from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rather than just letting the shot fly while contested, Muscala used a savvy pass fake to the corner that moved the defender out of his way and opened up a clear window for a 3-pointer. Muscala finished the first quarter with nine points in just five minutes of the action thanks to his three-made triples in the opening frame.
Second Quarter
Nick: With the entire arena fixated on every touch of the ball by LeBron James, the Thunder’s defense stayed aware of its own principles, but also how it could exploit the Lakers’ focus on feeding the ball to James. Kenrich Williams stayed in a physical, legal guarding position on James while teammates pinched in to prevent driving lanes, and eventually, the shot clock came close to expiring when James realized he had nowhere to go. LeBron kicked the ball back out to Troy Brown Jr., but a last-second heave went off the backboard, missing the rim for a shot clock violation.
Paris: For the season, Jaylin Williams is shooting the highest 3-point percentage of any rookie in the NBA at 46. Against the Lakers, the rookie stepped into his 10th start of the season and continued his strong shooting streak by knocking down a pair of triples in the first half. Williams has now drained two 3-pointers in four of his last six contests. By the end of the night, the rookie not only recorded 14 points but also dished out seven assists and pulled down seven boards.
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