The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the L.A. Clippers 103-101 in a tense Western Conference Clash. The Clippers led by 12 points in the first half but surrendered their lead heading into the second half. While they did claw their way back into the game in the fourth quarter, the Thunder regained control and held on for what ended up being a narrow yet important win for them.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one of his weakest games in quite some time, putting up 26 points (7-29 FG), three rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and one block. Aaron Wiggins came off the bench to put up 19 points (8-17 FG), three rebounds, and one assist. Isaiah Harternstein delivered a strong double-double with 14 points (6-12 FG), 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and three blocks.Â
As for the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard did his best to keep them in the game, with 25 points (10-20 FG), 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. James Harden had a bad shooting night, putting up 17 points (4-14 FG), six rebounds, eight assists, and one block. Ivica Zubac had yet another strong night, with 15 points (4-9 FG), 11 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
The Thunder now move to a 59-12 record and keep their spot atop the Western Conference, just one win away from 60 wins for the season. Given that there are 11 games left in the season for them, the Thunder could conceivably achieve a 65-win season, something only 21 other teams in the past have been able to do.
With all that said, here are three reasons why the Thunder beat the Clippers.
Thunder Spread The Wealth
On the night, the Thunder’s starting lineup had 23 of the team’s 28 assists. This just goes to show that even when slightly depleted – given that Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams were out tonight – have a well-rounded team that can set each other up on any given play. Shai may have gotten eight assists on the night, but the entire team carried the playmaking load.
The Thunder are not a team known for their passing and assisting. They average 26.8 assists per game, which ranks 13th in the NBA. However, when push came to shove, and their team needed to pass the ball to each other, they did just that and made sure that they all got a chance to score.
Going forward, the Thunder will need to up their assist numbers during the playoffs. Not being able to share the wealth can hurt any championship-level team. And they cannot just rely on their top scorers to make all the big plays during the postseason.
Thunder Survive Second-Half Clippers Rally
Despite the Clippers taking the lead in the first quarter, the Thunder took the lead heading into the half. One wouldn’t be wrong in assuming the Clippers would not get back into the game after squandering a 12-point lead. But late in the fourth quarter, the Clippers did take a narrow three-point lead.
However, the Thunder showed the fighting spirit needed for any high-level squad in the NBA to come back and win the game in the end. Given how tough the Clippers’ defense can be, it was a really impressive win from the best team in the Western Conference, who showed why they are where they are in the NBA.
Going forward, the Thunder have to be more careful so they don’t end up in the same position again, especially against a much weaker team like the Clippers that shouldn’t cause them the same problems that they faced tonight.
Clippers Can’t Hold On To Late-Game Lead
As well as the Thunder did to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, there needs to be an equal amount of blame placed on the Clippers. Given the tough fight they put up to try and take the win tonight, they didn’t do themselves any favors with the way they gave up and were defeated by the Thunder.
The game was perhaps the best metaphor of the Clippers’ season – good at times, but wildly inconsistent and unable to get things right. This loss will be a big blow to their hopes of reaching a guaranteed playoff spot. This would have been a great chance to chip into the Warriors’ advantage over them.
Kawhi Leonard was great, but James Harden had yet another bad shooting night which cost the Clippers a major win. They cannot afford to lose many more games, now that they fall to 40-31 for the season, and want to make the playoffs without having to go through the play-in tournament.
For now, the Thunder will turn their attention to the Sacramento Kings, whom they play on Tuesday night at 10 PM EST. Given where the two teams are at this point in the season, OKC will feel confident about their chances of winning and getting to 60 wins this season.
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