The Oklahoma City Thunder leaned on their superstar once again, and he delivered. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his MVP-caliber season with another dominant outing, leading the Thunder to a hard-fought 104-102 win over the Boston Celtics.
Boston got a huge scoring performance from Jaylen Brown, but Oklahoma City’s efficiency and late-game execution ultimately made the difference. This game had the feel of a playoff-style battle for most of the night.
The Celtics actually led for long stretches, but the Thunder stayed composed and relied on their star guard to create offense down the stretch. Between Shai’s scoring, Chet Holmgren’s presence inside, and solid contributions from the supporting cast, Oklahoma City found just enough offense to close it out.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A+
Game Stats: 35 PTS, 6 REB, 9 AST, 2 STL, 3 BLK, 4 TOV, 13-18 FG, 2-5 3PT, 7-8 FT, 39 MIN
Gilgeous-Alexander played 39 minutes and completely carried the offensive load for Oklahoma City. He scored 35 points on an incredibly efficient 13-18 shooting, which is the kind of line you expect from someone firmly in the MVP conversation. He mixed in mid-range pull-ups, drives to the basket, and even knocked down a couple of threes to keep Boston’s defense guessing.
Chet Holmgren: A-
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 9 REB, 5-10 FG, 1-4 3PT, 3-3 FT, 28 MIN
Chet Holmgren gave the Thunder a strong 28-minute performance in the frontcourt. He scored 14 points on 5-10 shooting and added nine rebounds, nearly finishing with a double-double.
He was also active on the offensive glass with three offensive rebounds, helping Oklahoma City generate extra possessions. Even without recording a block, his presence inside altered several shots and forced Boston to think twice about attacking the rim.
Ajay Mitchell: B+
Game Stats: 15 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST, 1 TOV, 6-10 FG, 1-3 3PT, 2-3 FT, 30 MIN
Mitchell had a silent night, but his contribution was still very crucial to the cause. In 30 mins he tallied 15 points on very efficient 6-10 shooting and also contributed 6 assists. He was a very good secondary playmaker and alleviated a lot of pressure off of Gilgeous-Alexander. Mitchell’s playmaking and court vision was top notch, and he was a huge reason the offense was as quick and efficient as it was, particularly when Boston was keying heavily on Shai.
Aaron Wiggins: B
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 3 REB, 2 TOV, 4-6 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-2 FT, 15 MIN
Wiggins made the most of his 15 minutes. He scored nine points on an efficient 4-6 shooting while grabbing three rebounds.
Even though he had two turnovers, his ability to score quickly off the bench helped give Oklahoma City some much-needed offense during stretches when the starters rested.
Luguentz Dort: B-
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST, 2-8 FG, 2-8 3PT, 29 MIN
Dort had a tough shooting night, finishing with just six points on 2-8 shooting and 2-8 from three. Offensively, the shots simply weren’t falling for him.
Still, he played 29 minutes and contributed in other ways, grabbing six rebounds and helping with defensive assignments on the perimeter. His physical defense helped make Boston work for many of its offensive possessions.
Cason Wallace: B-
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 1 TOV, 2 STL, 2-8 FG, 0-4 3PT, 30 MIN
He played 30 minutes and was not able to get into a good offensive rhythm. He managed just four points and shot 2-8.
Even so, he was able to get three assists, three rebounds, and two steals. His defensive activity really helped him be a positive and impactful player, even with such a poor shooting game.
Jaylin Williams: B-
Game Stats: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 TOV, 3-5 FG, 3-5 3PT, 20 MIN
Williams provided a nice spark for the Oklahoma City Thunder in his 20 minutes as he came off the bench. He managed to score 9 points and hit 3-5 three-point attempts.
While he does not provide a lot of scoring in a game, his ability to stretch the floor gives the other guards a chance to drive, and for a bench role, gives a lot of good, efficient scoring. Williams has a solid B- night for the Thunder.
Alex Caruso: B-
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 1 TOV, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 3-11 FG, 1-8 3PT, 23 MIN
Caruso contributed to various aspects of the game, playing 23 minutes. Although his shot was not falling, he managed to score 7 points on 3-11 shooting and hit only 1-8 attempts.
Despite his shots not falling, he remained a defensive presence, and as usual, he managed to get 2 steals, a block, and 4 rebounds. Even if he did not score as much as he would like, his defensive presence helped to keep the game within reach for the Thunder.
Isaiah Joe: C+
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 1 REB, 1-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-1 FT, 13 MIN
Joe played 13 minutes but only had 1 FG made. He went 0-1 from 3, 0-1 from the FT line and did not do much for the box after those 4 minutes. He competed on defense, though, and did the best he could in limited minutes.
Jared McCain: C
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 1 REB, 1 TOV, 1-6 FG, 1-4 3PT, 12 MIN
McCain played 12 minutes and was very cold from the field going 1-6 overall near the basket and 0-3 from 3pt. This did not impact the team too much.
