In the final game of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals, the league’s top Western Conference teams (Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets) clashed in a single-game elimination showdown at T-Mobile arena. With all eyes in Las Vegas for the event, the Thunder responded by showing the world just how effective their team can be with a dominant 111-96 victory.
After a relatively sluggish start for both teams (10-18 at the end of the first quarter), the players started to find their rhythm and it’s when both team’s offenses began to heat up. An explosive third quarter (outscored the Rockets 34-27), gave the Thunder a narrow lead down the stretch of the game and they never looked back after that.
In typical superstar fashion, Shai Gilgaeous-Alexander led his team in scoring again with 32 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals on 8-21 shooting. In the frontcourt, Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists on 9-12 shooting, while Jalen Williams had 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8-20 shooting.
For the Rockets, it was a rough night for the starters but Amen Thompson did have a standout game off the bench with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals on 60% shooting. Meanwhile, Dillon Brooks finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists on 5-17 shooting. Jabari Smith Jr. also had 14 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists on 3-8 shooting.
In a classic 1 vs. 2 matchup, both teams had to bring their best for any chance to win the game. And while the Thunder may be relatively new to the scene, they showed us in this game why you can’t count them out in the race for the title.
MVP Performance For SGA
The Thunder may be good, but they’ll only go as far as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes them. Last season, after finishing second in MVP voting, Shai proved himself as one of the best players in the league and he’s continuing that trajectory in this campaign.
Tonight, he was the star of the show with 32 points, 8 rebounds 6 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, and 1 turnovers on 38.1% shooting. He was +16 in 38 minutes and helped seal the win in crunch time down the stretch of the game. He made the game easier for every one of his teammates on the floor.
As it stands, Shai is arguably the biggest reason for the Thunder’s success and as long as he’s healthy, this team is going to pose a major problem for their opponents. Fortunately, at just 26 years old, Shai has room to get even better and the Thunder are counting on it to pave the way to a brighter future.
3-Point Shooting From Unlikely Source
The Thunder have been a mediocre shooting team this season (15th in the NBA with 336 threes made) but it’s been enough for them to win games consistently. Today, while they only shot 11-30 from three, they got an unexpected boost from Lu Dort (a low volume three-point shooter), who went 5-9 from beyond the arc.
His shooting, along with some threes by Shai and Williams, unlocked the Thunder offense and allowed them to shoot a solid 45% from the field. While 111 points are within the normal range for Oklahoma City, it was more impressive tonight given that they pulled it off against a Rockets squad that’s notorious for their defense.
More than most teams in the NBA, the Thunder have depth and tonight was a reminder that they can get some boosts from even the most unlikely sources. If they can hit their shots at a similar rate on Thursday, it will be enough to crown them as the NBA’s 2024 Emirates Cup champions.
Two-Way Dominance
It’s rare for an NBA team to be truly elite on both sides of the ball but the Thunder may be one of the few who have mastered the balance between defense and offense. This season, they are one of three teams with a top-10 rating on both offense and defense.
In the win tonight, they managed to hold the Rockets to 96 points on 36.5% shooting due to constantly disrupting their attempts. With their length, speed, and athleticism, the Thunder were able to play the passing lanes tonight and force 16 Rockets turnovers.
Along with the stifling defense, the Thunder operated like a well-oiled machine offensively by sharing the ball and utilizing proper teamwork with every possession. As a team with no real weaknesses, the Thunder are tough for anyone to beat right now and as the core group gets older it will only be easier for them to dominate the field.
For now, with Shai, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, and Isaiah Hartenstein, the Thunder have the pieces to compete with any team in the league right now and as it stands they may be the favorites to win the whole thing.
Of course, with one more game to play in Las Vegas, the Thunder still have to handle unfinished business before resuming regular-season action. On Tuesday, the Thunder will face the Milwaukee Bucks in the Emirates NBA Cup championship game at 8:30 PM EST. After that, they’ll be heading back on the road for a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 20th at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
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