Game Recap: Thunder 106, Kings 122

The Thunder shot at a season excessive clip from the sphere to open the sport and posted 65 first-half factors. Nevertheless, the fiery offensive begin for the Thunder cooled off within the second half as Sacramento took the reins within the last matchup between these two groups this season.

Within the Thunder’s third and last swing towards Sacramento, it could be examined with operation its offense with no true level guard on the ground as each Ty Jerome (calf pressure) and Théo Maledon (plantar fasciitis) sat out within the Thunder’s last street journey of the season.

A lot of the ball dealing with duty fell to Kenrich Williams who stepped into his thirteenth begin of the season after not taking part in within the Thunder’s final recreation towards Sacramento and logged 10 factors within the first quarter on the way in which to a team-high 20 factors within the recreation and a season-high 4 made 3-pointers. It wasn’t simply the offensive facet of the ball that the fourth-year wing supplied in Tuesday’s recreation. Kenny Hustle gave the impression to be all around the flooring for OKC as he additionally logged 4 steals and two blocks in his half-hour of recreation motion.

“You’ve gotta give him credit score. He retains himself prepared,” mentioned Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “It doesn’t matter what function you set him in, what place, whenever you’re taking part in him within the recreation, he completed the sport simply as arduous as he began it. He’s a professional’s professional.”

Kenny Hustle took his recreation up a notch tonight, pacing the @okcthunder with 20 factors within the loss to Sacramento.#ThunderUp | @Exhoopsmc | @williamskenrich pic.twitter.com/mGCVh3sr5I

— Bally Sports activities Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) Might 12, 2023

The Thunder shot at a season excessive 62-percent clip within the first half and acquired contributions all around the flooring from gamers like Tony Bradley who logged 10 factors off the bench in addition to Charlie Brown Jr. who added seven factors on an ideal 3-for-3 from the sphere.

“We began out very well coming off [Sunday’s game],” mentioned Roby. “Popping out, not having any level guards within the lineup, I believe we did a extremely good job of sharing the ball, getting loads of assists and taking good care of the ball.”

After a livid offensive begin for the Thunder to publish 65 factors within the first half, the second half belonged nearly totally to Sacramento. The Thunder’s 3-point lead at halftime was erased as Sacramento posted a lopsided third behind a powerful efficiency from the 3-point line. Within the third quarter alone, the Kings put up 40 factors whereas capturing at a 60-percent clip from the sphere and going 7-for-11 from the 3-point line.

Unable to reply offensively, the Thunder fell behind by its largest deficit of the evening within the third body and even a small surge of offense within the fourth quarter wouldn’t be sufficient to shut the massive hole that the Kings had constructed.

“Third quarter give them credit score, they got here out and popped us fairly good,” mentioned Daigneault. “They performed with extra aggressiveness and it simply took us too lengthy to type of get the automotive again on the street. We couldn’t actually stabilize the sport there after a pair completely different makes an attempt to do it.”

Within the third quarter because the Kings surged forward on a 12-4 run, Kenrich Williams and Darius Bazley. The Thunder’s two highest scorers on the evening related for a much-needed, energizing bucket to reignite some momentum in its course.

As Williams attacked the lane, he drew the eye of a number of Kings’ defenders which opened up the baseline for Bazley to chop behind for a two-handed slam. The bucket accounted for 2 of Bazley’s 18 hard-earned factors on the evening. The second yr ahead confirmed unimaginable aggressiveness to get to the rim and generate offense and by the tip of the evening, racked up 12 free throw makes an attempt.

“He’s positively been extra aggressive. He’s leaping into contact and that’s large for Baze,” mentioned Williams. “I really feel like bass can get to the road loads of occasions within the recreation simply off his aggressiveness. For Baze, to get to the road, that’ll get his offensive recreation going.”

158

With the 2 3-pointers tonight from rookie Aleksej Pokuševski, the Thunder’s rookie class set a brand new document for mixed 3-pointers made in a season. Pokuševski, Théo Maledon, Josh Corridor and Gabriel Deck have mixed for 158 triples all through the season.

“Simply taking part in collectively offensively. Defensively we’re competing. Within the third it type of type of slipped away from this a bit of bit. They hit some pictures within the third. We turned the ball over a couple of occasions within the third however general simply happy with the way in which we competed.”
–Kenrich Williams

“General loads of good possessions. Lots of good stretches. I assumed our effort tonight was actually, actually good to begin the sport and to complete. The third quarter was clearly the distinction within the recreation.”

–Coach Daigneault

With the ultimate street recreation not below its belt, the Thunder could have two days between video games earlier than closing out the season on its house flooring. On Friday, the Thunder will host the Utah Jazz earlier than welcoming the Clippers on Sunday for the ultimate recreation of the season.