Shai Gilgeous-Alexander exploded for 39 points in just 29 minutes, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a dominant 126-101 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Fresh off having their 15-game winning streak snapped by Cleveland, the Thunder wasted no time making a statement. Isaiah Joe contributed 31 points, including 23 in a scorching first half, as Oklahoma City unleashed a 36-12 run to build a commanding 70-43 halftime lead.Â
The Thunder closed the first quarter with a 12-0 spurt and followed with a 19-5 second-quarter surge, putting the game out of reach early. Jalen Brunson scored 27 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 for the Knicks, who dropped their fourth game in five outings. Mikal Bridges endured a rough night, missing all nine of his field-goal attempts, as New York was repeatedly booed by the home crowd.Â
Oklahoma City’s decisive performance marked a stark contrast to their narrow win over the Knicks a week ago when a big fourth-quarter push sealed the game. This time, the Thunder had the game firmly in hand by halftime, demonstrating their ability to bounce back quickly and emphatically.
The Thunder’s defensive intensity and offensive firepower left little room for a Knicks comeback, and the blowout gave coach Mark Daigneault, battling illness, a relatively stress-free night. Adding to New York’s woes, Oklahoma City outscored them 68-36 across consecutive quarters spanning their two matchups, solidifying their dominance in the season series. The Knicks will have to move quickly from this result, and we grade the players for their performances tonight.Â
Jalen Brunson: B+
Stats: 27 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 5 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 4 TO, 3 PF, 7-15 FG, 1-2 3PT, 12-12 FT, -23, 33 MIN
Brunson was one of the few bright spots for the Knicks, scoring a team-high 27 points while hitting 12-of-12 free throws. He added five assists but struggled with turnovers, committing four. Despite his efficient shooting from the field (7-of-15), his -23 plus-minus reflected the team’s overall struggles on both ends.
Karl-Anthony Towns: B+
Stats: 23 PTS, 10 REB (3 OREB, 7 DREB), 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 3 PF, 9-16 FG, 1-2 3PT, 4-4 FT, -10, 29 MIN
Towns delivered a solid double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, shooting an efficient 9-of-16 from the field. However, his 3 turnovers and lack of defensive impact were noticeable. His -10 plus-minus was among the better on the team, but he couldn’t stem the Thunder’s overwhelming runs.
Josh Hart: B+
Stats: 16 PTS, 13 REB (6 OREB, 7 DREB), 2 AST, 3 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 6-13 FG, 0-1 3PT, 4-4 FT, -23, 30 MIN
Hart played with characteristic hustle, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds, including six offensive boards. He added 16 points and three steals, showcasing his two-way impact. Despite his energy, Hart’s -23 plus-minus illustrated his inability to turn the tide for the Knicks.
Cameron Payne: C+
Stats: 11 PTS, 2 REB (1 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 5-11 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, -2, 15 MIN
Payne contributed 11 points off the bench on 5-of-11 shooting, including one three-pointer. While he added a steal and a block, his lack of assists and limited impact in just 15 minutes made his contributions feel muted.
Miles McBride: C+
Stats: 7 PTS, 5 REB (4 OREB, 1 DREB), 5 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 3-9 FG, 0-4 3PT, 1-1 FT, -21, 20 MIN
McBride chipped in with 7 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds, including four on the offensive glass. However, his shooting woes (3-of-9 FG, 0-of-4 3PT) and -21 plus-minus reflected his struggles to capitalize on opportunities offensively.
Ariel Hukporti: C
Stats: 2 PTS, 2 REB (0 OREB, 2 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 2 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 1-2 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, +1, 13 MIN
Hukporti’s impact was minimal, with just 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 13 minutes. While his defensive presence was notable at times, he was largely a non-factor offensively and didn’t make a significant impact on the game.
Landry Shamet: C-
Stats: 3 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 1-6 FG, 1-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, -5, 15 MIN
Shamet struggled mightily, scoring just 3 points on 1-of-6 shooting, including 1-of-5 from three. His lone bright spot was a steal, but his limited contributions in 15 minutes made his night underwhelming.
OG Anunoby: D
Stats: 4 PTS, 3 REB (1 OREB, 2 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 2 PF, 2-8 FG, 0-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, -6, 36 MIN
Anunoby had a rough night, scoring just 4 points on 2-of-8 shooting and missing all five of his three-point attempts. He added 3 rebounds and 2 assists but also committed 2 turnovers. His inability to find a rhythm offensively hurt the Knicks.
Mikal Bridges: D
Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 0-9 FG, 0-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, -23, 32 MIN
Bridges endured a nightmare performance, going scoreless on 0-of-9 shooting, including 0-of-7 from three. He added just 1 rebound and 2 assists in 32 minutes, finishing with a team-worst -23 plus-minus in what was likely one of his most forgettable games.
Jacob Toppin: N/A
Stats: 2 PTS, 3 REB (1 OREB, 2 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 1-2 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -3, 6 MIN
Toppin saw just six minutes of action, contributing 2 points and 3 rebounds. His limited time on the court didn’t allow him to make a significant impact.
Precious Achiuwa: N/A
Stats: 2 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 1-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -16, 6 MIN
Achiuwa also played six minutes, adding 2 points and 1 rebound. His presence was largely inconsequential, as the game was already out of reach by the time he checked in.
Matt Ryan: N/A
Stats: 2 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 1-2 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, +3, 2 MIN
Ryan scored 2 points and grabbed 1 rebound in two minutes of garbage time. His positive +3 plus-minus came in a stretch where the Thunder were coasting.
Tyler Kolek: N/A
Stats: 2 PTS, 0 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-2 FT, +3, 2 MIN
Kolek added 2 points, 1 assist, and 1 steal in just two minutes of play. Like Ryan, his contributions came late in the game and didn’t have a meaningful impact.
