標籤: OKC

A notable NBA expert detailed a major problem with the Oklahoma City Thunder that has them seemingly dethroned by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Playoffs.

After winning the franchise’s first NBA championship last spring, the Thunder had a big target on their back. However, because they have reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a core that is still very young, there were questions about whether any team was good enough to defeat them this season.

Well, as the campaign progressed, it became clear that Spurs could be strong enough to dethrone the champions. Victor Wembanyama is developing into an absolute monster, and San Antonio also has a talent-rich young core. Furthermore, the Spurs are 4-1 against the Thunder this season.

However, OKC star Jalen Williams missed many of those games and has only played in 33 this season. Certainly, now that he’s back healthy, the Thunder will look like the team that won it all last year. Or maybe not.

Is Jalen Williams a bust in 2025-26?

On Saturday, Yahoo Sports NBA expert Kevin O’Connor posted an interesting video on why this isn’t the same Thunder team as last year, and that’s because Williams isn’t playing like he did in 2024-25 when he had a huge role in their trip to the championship.

O’Connor says Williams’ evolution from a mid-range specialist to a dangerous three-point shooter was really important for OKC last year. His long range shooting had to be respected by the opponents. However, their number has been significantly reduced to three in 2025-26.

Last year, he was shooting 37%, but that has dropped to 30% this season. Furthermore, he is back to his mid-range game and is taking very few shots from long distance. Additionally, he is shooting 41% from the field, down from 46% last season.

NBA insiders speculate that the injuries that have limited him all year — recovering from offseason wrist surgery and hamstring problems — could have a big impact on his approach to offense. He claims he is very concerned that the player from last spring needs to return if the Thunder are to get back to the Finals.

The report opens the door to further speculation that Spurs are set for an unexpected finals run this spring.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

In only his third season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cason Wallace has never played for a team that has not won at least 57 regular season games. It is extremely rare for most NBA players to win a championship between sophomore seasons. This season has undoubtedly been his best. Wallace recorded a career-high 27 points in a 121–111 win against the Denver Nuggets in February.

However, Wallace’s contributions go far beyond his career-high seven threes made in that win against the Nuggets. Wallace has emerged as a triple threat for Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, giving him a unique on-ball defender who can stretch and stretch the floor with his outside touch.

Wallace’s career average is the best in several statistical categories, including points per game (8.6), assists (2.7), and steals (2.1), in which he leads the NBA. Still, returning as the defending champions and having faced every team’s best effort, Wallace doesn’t see any major changes in the Thunder’s approach this season.

Wallace said, “I don’t see any big difference between last season’s performance and this year’s. The goal will always be to win.” “As defending champions, we still look forward to working hard and competing every day.”

While some were expecting a championship hangover, which is the norm for most returning champions, the Thunder had the best start to the regular season – 24–1 – in NBA history. Without All-NBA forward Jalen Williams, who missed the first 19 games due to wrist surgery, the Thunder rose to the top of the Western Conference standings, where it remained stable through the 2025–26 season.

“I feel fortunate to be a part of such a great team and I’m excited to keep the energy flowing until the end of the season,” Wallace said.

Wallace will be a key part of the Thunder’s postseason campaign as the defending champions. With teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets threatening to dethrone OKC from its throne, Wallace is one of several interesting depth pieces that light up the Thunder’s backcourt.

Oklahoma City embraces Thunder’s Cason Wallace

As Wallace continues to grow as a player, his community of die-hard Thunder fans in Oklahoma City has embraced him. So much so that Wallace partnered with a local food chain in town, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, to create “Cason’s Queso”, his own cheese sauce inspired by his nickname “Queso”.

Wallace said, “We have great people on this team and we always have a lot of fun together. I’ve always had him at Fuzzy’s, and I told him my queso is a must-try because it’s loaded just the way I like it.” “Every bite is a little different depending on what toppings you bring out, so it’s perfect for sharing on game day.”

While Wallace hopes the fans enjoy the collaboration, he is eager to finish the regular season and enter the playoffs for another run at the championship.

Amid a 10-game winning streak, the Thunder earned their 55th win on Wednesday. With only 12 games remaining, Oklahoma City is in position to make another deep playoff run with hopes of winning back-to-back titles.

Mark Daigneault praises ‘committed’ Cason Wallace

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised Wallace’s adaptability to different lineups this season, which he has been successful in, as the third-year guard continues to improve. Although the Thunder traded for Wallace, who was selected 10th overall on draft night in 2023, it’s no coincidence that Casson has one of the highest winning percentages in NBA history.

Wallace’s career winning percentage is 75.6%. And while some fans will joke that he’s a lucky charm, given that the Thunder have finished with the best record in the Western Conference every season since Wallace joined, Daigneault looks at the work Cason has done behind the scenes.

“He’s one of many guys on our team who obviously plays his role well on a very good team,” Daigneault said. “When you look at Cason Wallace’s win percentage as a professional, his win percentage is insane. But one of the things that comes with playing on a team at this level as a young player is that your role can sometimes feel narrow compared to your teammates.

“If he wasn’t on such a good team, he’d probably be able to do a lot more, and his role would be a little broader. So, when you have a guy that’s committed to that kind of role, is committed to winning and the team’s success, having a night like tonight, everybody’s happy for him.”

While Wallace’s role has changed sporadically throughout the regular season due to the Thunder’s long list of injuries, he makes the most of his opportunities.

“He shows up – he takes whatever minutes he gets. Sometimes he starts, sometimes he doesn’t. Some nights he gets some shots, and he doesn’t get his breakthrough,” Daigneault said. “So, on a night when he does that, and he delivers, everyone is thrilled for him.”

For Wallace, it’s sometimes hard to believe how far he’s come. It all happened very quickly for the top-10 draft pick, who became an NBA champion, led the association in steals, and emerged as a key member for a team with the potential to win back-to-back titles.

If Wallace could talk to that younger version of himself, he would only give that kid one strong piece of advice for the future.

“I would tell the younger version of me to keep working hard,” Wallace said. “Results come from being disciplined, having confidence in yourself and your teammates, and being prepared for every opportunity.”

Wallace is living proof of what the other side of that hard work is.

Oklahoma City Thunder veteran Alex Caruso addressed Jared McCann’s impact in his first 12 games with his new team, and explained why he is a better fit for the defending champions than the Philadelphia 76ers. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discusses what he has learned about McCann during his first dozen games.

Caruso gave the most credit to the Thunder front office, trade for McCain is ahead of this year’s deadline, he said, according to The Young Man and the Three podcast.

“For us, we do what we do as players, but the front office, as far as the fit, that’s probably the biggest compliment they can give me,” Caruso said. “The way Jared plays is like a mini I-Joe, like Isaiah Joe Light, not like the same player, but coming from the same movements, but the way they’re able to use their skill sets to shoot and move.”

Alex Caruso used an example from the Thunder’s 121–113 win against the Cleveland Cavs, where McCann drove to the rim, passed the ball to Joe before shifting to the corner for a deep three. For Caruso, it’s that style of play if the 76ers didn’t run their offense through McCann.

“I don’t think Philly played that way,” Caruso said. “I think they’re a lot more traditional because of Joel [Emiid]And, of course, Tyrese [Maxey] Very much on the ball. But for us, it is like freedom of movement. An open man is a right man. I think it benefits his game.”

“He’s playing the right way.” – Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein talk about why Jared McCann has fit in so easily with the OKC Thunder 🚨 New Thunder YM3 Out Now Everywhere 🚨 pic.twitter.com/epcOgO84l6

-TheOldManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) 6 March 2026

McCain is averaging 11.8 points on 41.5% shooting, including 39.5% from deep, and 2.2 rebounds per game with the Thunder.

Mark Daigneault on learning about Thunder’s Jared McCain

The apparent departure of 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey to the Thunder’s Jared McCann ended the second-year guard’s tenure, and marked a new start with the defending champions. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault discussed McCann’s fitness after practice on Friday and told reporters how he has learned about his game so far.

“His shooting ability. He’s a guy you have to make runs off the line, which opens up some of those drives. I didn’t know his game well, especially that part of his game — those mid-range games show his strength,” Daigneault said. “He’s going downhill, and he’s able to absorb contact and rise up and shoot a balanced rhythm shot, which is harder than it looks. He makes it look easier than it is. So, he’s done a great job.”

Daigneault and the Thunder will host the Warriors on Saturday at Paycom Center.

It’s hard to maintain the “element of surprise” after enduring a tough 82-game season. At a certain point, opponents know what to expect and how to counter different parts of the team’s plan. While the rest of the NBA should be aware of the many ways the New York Knicks’ offense can thrive, there may be one asset that can confuse teams going forward.

All-Star Jalen Brunson scored just 16 points while shooting 5 of 18 from the field and 2 of 5 from distance in a 103-100 loss to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Despite these modest numbers, the Villanova product was able to impact the game with his passing. He collected 15 assists on the night, and showed another way he can lead the attack.

Brunson’s status as a leading scorer will be as important as ever, but his ability to facilitate and set up teammates can turn lackluster nights into serviceable nights, and potentially make elite evenings part of a story that ends with a parade.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown told reporters after the game, “Good basketball game. I thought our guys, they could have turned it around at any time.” “We were down by double digits. I liked our competitive spirit.”

Jalen Brunson’s identity focuses on scoring

Must be stated clearly. The Knicks are at their best when Brunson is one of the team’s leading scorers. In 58 games this season, Brunson is averaging 26.5 points while shooting nearly 47 percent from the field and nearly 38 percent from distance.

Brunson can usually score with ease from all three levels, but he struggled to do so against the Thunder. They scored only two points in the first half and only three points in the last quarter. One of the guard’s key misses occurred late in the fourth quarter when he missed a three-pointer that would have tied the contest.

“I feel like I missed a lot of shots that I would normally take,” Brunson told Jared Schwartz of the New York Post.

If the 29-year-old had put more points on the board when making key passes, it’s possible the Knicks would have defeated Oklahoma City and re-established their identity as an NBA Finals contender.

Jalen Brunson’s demise could help Knicks win ugly games

Any team worth its salt would love to be firing on all cylinders every night, but playoff basketball often demands that teams find different ways to win when things don’t go according to plan.

If Brunson were to experience a poor shooting night during the tournament, his passing could be a skill that could allow the Knicks to steal a game they might otherwise lose. Teammates like OG Anunoby, Landry Shamet, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns can score in a variety of ways. Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted the Knicks’ overall firepower after running away from Madison Square Garden with a win.

“Good team. Obviously, a good attack, then they also have really good defenders, so they’re well balanced,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after the contest. “They’re obviously on top of the East for a reason. They’re a good team, a playoff team. Really good roster.”

Even if Brunson stumbles, others could pick up the slack and take advantage of the New Jersey native’s demise. While this isn’t the ideal path to victory for New York, it does provide another reason to be optimistic about a team whose results have been shaky for much of the campaign.

The Oklahoma City Thunder arrived at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night looking to prove why they have the best record in the NBA, but they left with more questions than answers regarding their health. In a physical performance against the New York Knicks, Oklahoma City lost two of its most important defensive anchors as Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein were both forced to foul out early via Brett Siegel.

Caruso, a versatile defender known for his tireless perimeter defense, suffered a left hip injury during the heat of the action. The team immediately ruled him out for the remainder of the night, a major blow to a unit that relies on his ability to disrupt opposing stars like Jalen Brunson. Shortly after, the frontcourt suffered a blow of its own. Hartenstein, who was returning to his former home in New York, was sidelined with left calf tightness.

In his second game back from an abdominal injury, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 100-87 win against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Gilgeous-Alexander guided the Thunder to a 16-point comeback in a 127-121 win against the Denver Nuggets on Friday before his team won in overtime.

In Sunday’s game, Gilgeous-Alexander followed up his 36 points in 34 minutes against the Nuggets with a 30-point performance against the Mavericks in Sunday’s win, and gave an update on the injury to reporters during his postgame media availability.

“Okay,” Gilgeous-Alexander replied. “I intensified the workouts before the games, I knew I was coming back. The guys who helped me with the workouts did a great job building them up to game legs. So, I feel great. Cardio-wise I don’t feel like I missed a beat.”

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting, five assists, four rebounds and four steals in 33 minutes.

Mark Daigneault on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Thunder win

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault spoke to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander about his minutes restriction ahead of his return in Friday’s matchup against the Nuggets. Capping Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain’s streak of scoring 20+ points in 126 consecutive games, Gilgeous-Alexander equaled Chamberlain’s 59-game record of 20+ point games.

Daigneault discussed Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak as evidence of his continued vision for the Thunder.

Daigneault said, “There’s really no difference in his game, home or street. I think some people reach a certain level.” “It’s his ability to perform consistently in all environments. We’ve had a lot of guys like that in his role, but he’s definitely one of them.”

Gilgeous-Alexander extended his streak of scoring 20+ points to 123 consecutive games.

Denver Nuggets head coach David Edelman has not defended All-Star Nikola Jokic for his reaction to Lou Dort’s headed 2 in Friday’s 127-121 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. During his postgame press conference, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault never criticized Dort for his hard-2. Instead, Daigneault hoped that the play would be called the same way if it was reversed, with no malicious intent.

Jokic retaliated by getting in Dort’s face. After this, a scuffle started between Thunder center Jaylin Williams and players of both the teams had to separate. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Edelman understands why Jokic reached his peak during the fourth quarter of the game, when tension was high between the Thunder and Nuggets.

“Yeah, I think that’s him,” Edelman said. “He’s a more measured guy throughout the season — I think most guys are. If they’re measured they’re more productive. But there’s a point where we play these games, and he tackles anybody on the night [would] React that way. For Dort to take that shot – and then I guess it was no big deal from his perspective, how he saw it – is ridiculous.

“He was malicious. It was a cheap shot. Lou Dort is a great player, and I haven’t seen him do that before. But at some point, you’ve got to stand up for yourself, and so does the team. They’re a great team. That game itself was like that. But, yeah, Nicola, he’s who he is, man. You can’t have the success he’s had and you can’t be as competitive. He’s got emotions that he keeps in control, but he’s a guy emotionally. Very capable and very willing to provide feedback.”

For this, Lou Dort was thrown out. pic.twitter.com/6JO8h2odv8

– SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) 28 February 2026

Apparently, the Nuggets’ David Edelman is not happy with how the Thunder responded to Dort’s foul after the game. When Jokic was asked about it by a reporter during media availability after the game, he didn’t hold back.

“There’s no such thing – I think things like that shouldn’t happen on a basketball floor,” Jokic said after the game. “So, it was an unnecessary move by me and a necessary reaction.”

The Thunder will host the Nuggets again on March 9 at Paycom Center.

Mark Daigneault’s opinion on the ejection of Thunder’s Lou Dort

After Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault called Lou Dort’s flagrant 2 on Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic uncharacteristic of him, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said he didn’t see the play that made Jokic angry. Nuggets head coach David Edelman would probably have a different opinion. Officials deemed Dort’s play beyond the reach of the Nuggets’ MVP candidate, ruling out the veteran guard after an extensive review.

After the game, Daigneault chalked up Dort’s play to the Thunder guard’s competitive nature amid the fourth quarter of a physical matchup against the Nuggets.

“That was a weird game. These are two teams that played each other in a seven-game series. We’re in the same division. We’ve played each other 100 times,” Daigneault said. “They know our playbook. We know their playbook. It is what it is. It’s going to be an imperfect game, and things escalate like that sometimes. I know Lu [Dort]. I know [Nikola] Jokic.

“I know J-Will. I don’t think anybody is trying to hurt anybody; they’re just great competitors. It just ended up being over. I think it was nothing more than that.”

The Thunder will face the Mavericks on the road on Sunday.

In a rare moment of on-court anger, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic lost his temper in their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, and fans’ reactions to it are epic.

During his 11 years in the NBA, Jokic has become not only one of the greatest centers to ever play the game, but one of the best ballplayers the league has ever produced. There’s no better proof of his elite status than being an eight-time All-Star, three-time NBA MVP and leading the Nuggets to their only championship in 2023.

Still, what has made Jokic’s rise to great status so unique is that he has done it with a very calm and almost robotic approach to the game. Although he may complain to the referee with some regularity, he rarely goes too far or too little with his emotions. However, that changed on Friday night vs. the Thunder.

In the fourth quarter of a highly competitive game between two NBA Finals contenders, the Thunder forward continued the questionable play he is known for by delivering a hip check to the Nuggets center as he began running down the court after OKC scored. This move really wore Jokic down, and it brought out an anger in him that fans had never seen before.

Nikola Jokic immediately got to his feet to confront Dort and the Thunder player was forced to retreat in anger. However, his teammate Jaylin Williams came to his rescue. This definitely created a new GIF on social media as the Denver star’s face looked almost mentally disturbed, like the Batman villain nicknamed The Joker.

Of course, social media being what it is, NBA fans weren’t going to let that wild moment go without opinions, and some fans had some hilarious thoughts on Jokic becoming the Joker we all want.

In an Instagram post from SportsCenter’s account, fans posted crazy clown faces Batman: The Animated Seriesleonardo dicaprio in the the wolf of wall streetHeath Ledger’s great performance dark knightAnd a young Ozzy Osbourne.

In reference to the comments _SeanGregory suggested Jokic was telling Williams, “I’ll feed you to my horses.” WarriorsStock commented, “Jokic looks like someone stole one of his horses.” While Lawrence Johnson said, “Brother turned into Hitman 47 very quickly.”

In an Instagram post for ESPN at the time, KennyChaojr said, “Jock brothers red eye ok 🙂.” Coolken40 said, “Jokic wanted to eat his liver with some lima beans.” And Nest.G said, “Absolutely lol. Dort nasty!”

Suffice it to say, fans loved seeing Nikola Jokic in full Joker mode, especially against a player like Dort, who has earned a lot of frustration from fans for his playing style this season.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

OKLAHOMA CITY – Following Friday’s 127-121 win in overtime, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gave his honest opinion on Lou Dort’s fourth quarter ejection for a scuffle with Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic. The two were forced to separate, which led to a physical altercation between Thunder centers Jaylin Williams and Jokic. Both centers received double technical fouls, while Dort’s night ended in the fourth quarter.

Daigneault addressed Dort after the victory fourth trimester ejection Coming off of their seven-game series in the Western Conference Semifinals, he reminded reporters how familiar his Thunder team is to the Nuggets.

“That was a weird game. These are two teams that played each other in a seven-game series. We’re in the same division. We’ve played each other 100 times,” Daigneault said. “They know our playbook. We know their playbook. It is what it is. It’s going to be an imperfect game, and things escalate like that sometimes. I know Lu [Dort]. I know [Nikola] Jokic.

“I know J-Will. I don’t think anybody is trying to hurt anybody; they’re just great competitors. It just ended up being over. I think it was nothing more than that.”

Jaylin Williams and Nikola Jokic just went here to OKC.

Both could have been ejected after Williams came to the defense of Lou Dort. The fight is still under review pic.twitter.com/1zxS2glQJT

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

One could argue that Nikola Jokic took his frustration out on Lou Dort’s lead-2 layup on Williams, who defended his teammate, as most centers in the NBA do. This likely played into the referee’s decision to keep Jokic in the game, causing him and Jaylin to be slapped with a double technical foul.

Daigneault’s only hope is that if the situation were reversed, Jokic would be heading to the locker room because of a major-2.

“I will say this: If J-Will is running upfield and slips, we expect a flagrant -2 from this point forward. That’s all,” Daigneault said. “If that’s the precedent, if it becomes a malicious game, and Major-2 is the line in the sand on that, then we would expect that if it’s J-Will. We would expect that if it’s anyone. And if that’s the case, we’re good.”

Mark Daigneault’s honest opinion on Lu Dort’s ejection after scuffling with Nikola Jokic: “I will say this: If J-Will is running the floor and slips up, we expect a flagrant -2 from this point forward.

That is all.” pic.twitter.com/HFTcdINFdN

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

Williams finished with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block off the bench before closing out the Thunder’s victory in overtime.

Mark Daigneault missing overtime on Thunder’s SGA

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault sat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in overtime of Friday’s win against the Nuggets. Due to an abdominal injury that caused him to miss the Thunder’s last nine games, Gilgeous-Alexander was on a one-minute ban that went on unannounced before the defending champions’ showdown against the Nuggets.

Daigneault explained what was a factor in the Thunder decision Gilgeous-Alexander was benched after the fourth quarter.

“He’s coming off a 24-day injury. He’s coming back to play. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to hold him to a certain point in terms of minutes,” Daigneault said. “We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein] Before the game. Just so we can all be clear, in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, this is what we would do.

“We obviously did that. I understand it’s a little unconventional, but, at the end of the day, we’re trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from injury.”

Mark Daigneault on SGA sitting out in OT: “He’s coming off a 24-day injury. Getting back to playing. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to keep him at a certain point in terms of minutes.

“We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein]” pic.twitter.com/WjoOQwiwO9

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander’s 36 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals led to a 16-point comeback by the Thunder in the second half before the defending champions won in overtime without their reigning MVP.

When the Oklahoma City Thunder got off to a hot start and won 24 of their first 25 games, it seemed like it was a foregone conclusion that they would return to the NBA Finals.

But while the Thunder still have the best record in the league at 45-15, they have looked strong over the past few weeks, especially with injuries to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

Oklahoma City is eager to defend its championship, but that won’t be the case for NBA legend Dwyane Wade, as he predicted on “The Zach Lowe Show” that the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons will face off in this year’s NBA Finals.

“I’ve watched the Spurs, I’ve watched some of their games. Even though I don’t think they should be ready, they should be a team over the next three years, but they do things sometimes. You look at their roster, you look at their players, with the right matchups, they’ll be tough to beat,” Wade said.

The Thunder have lost three times in four meetings with the Spurs this season, including the NBA Cup semifinals, in which San Antonio ended OKC’s 16-game winning streak.

As for the Pistons, Wade, who works as an analyst for NBC and Prime, said their depth will carry them to the final round.

“I watched Detroit the other night in New York without (Jalen) Duren and without (Isaiah) Stewart, and I didn’t see them lose once. I said, ‘This team is too deep.’ They know their style, they know their game, they know how to win. It’s hard when a team doesn’t have to figure it out,” the three-time champion explained.

The Thunder lost to the Pistons on Wednesday, although they were significantly weaker without Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Ajay Mitchell.

Oklahoma City will have another tough test on Friday against the Denver Nuggets.

After starting the season in historic fashion, the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder have been hit with injuries. After starting the year without All-Star forward Jalen Williams, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has missed the last few games.

Although the team has been able to “maintain service” in the Western Conference playoff race – maintaining its top spot in the conference – Stephen A. Smith believes the team is in trouble if SGA doesn’t bounce back soon. On the latest edition of ESPN’s First Take, the panel discussed the resurgence of the San Antonio Spurs under Victor Wembanyama after a 114-103 win over the Pistons. While praising the Spurs, Smith expressed doubt about the Thunder without Alexander.

“Without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, I wouldn’t have Oklahoma City [Thunder] As a top 8 team,” Smith said boldly.

Currently, the Thunder have a 6-3 record without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season, which includes wins over playoff contenders in the Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers. But before the All-Star break, they suffered two consecutive losses to the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Alexander has another season worthy of an MVP finish. He is averaging 31.8 points per game and 6.4 assists per game, shooting 55% from the field and 39% from three. He has emerged as a steady hand for the Thunder offense when it needs the basket. With Alexander out of the rotation, the Thunder have had to rely on their trademark effective defense, team basketball and three-point shooting to maintain their edge over their recent opponents.

The Thunder are in for an interesting run of games as they face the playoff contenders Toronto Raptors on the first night of a back-to-back, before they play a nationally televised game against the Detroit Pistons, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ seven-game winning streak ended on Sunday, as the shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the NBA’s hottest team with a 121-113 victory on their home floor. It’s the Cavs’ first loss since Jan. 30, before they acquired James Harden, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder to join Donovan Mitchell, Kenny Atkinson and company at the trade deadline. After falling into a 28–5 hole in the opening seven minutes due to a 10-turnover start, Cleveland battled back.

“The recovery was great,” Harden said after the game. “Don’t turn the ball over, get shots at the rim, and then defensively, step back, stay in front of your man, contest shots. We’re pretty good. It’s just us doing that every night. It’s a different team. Even without Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander]without j-dub [Jalen Williams]They’re still obviously a very good defensive team.

Sam Merrill said, “Probably the best defense this league has seen in a while.” “Even with some of their leading scorers out, they still have a lot of good defensive players. You just get avalanches to start the game; that’s what happened last year. Obviously, we responded a lot better this time. Gotta figure out the turnovers. But that’s just not the way they defend. Even without SGA and Jalen Williams, they really move the ball. They cut, they pass. Obviously, they Shot the ball really well today.”

Led by Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams, the Thunder made 14 of 22 three-ball attempts in the first half. The Cavs got into a better rhythm in the second quarter and hung on well enough to wreak havoc with the defensive pressure led by Ellis and Schroder, and the halftime margin was only nine. Merrill felt the Cavs made simple plays to counter the home team’s early punches.

“I think we got a little rushed to start. The margin probably wasn’t good to start with,” Merrill said. “You still want to play with speed, obviously, but doing that by getting into the right spots and not playing too fast, I think, has helped.”

Cleveland struggled to take the lead at times midway through the third quarter, yet OKC could not hold on.

Donovan Mitchell said, “Missed some easy looks, had some key defensive rebounds that we didn’t get. I’m not really worried about that start.” “The biggest thing is that once we got to the point where it was 67-67, for me it was, ‘Okay, how do we fix it from there?'”

“I felt like we had some bad offensive possessions that allowed them to get transition buckets,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “The quality of our shot wasn’t very good. I probably blame the offense more than the defense for that. With this team, you can’t give them possession, whether it’s turnovers or bad shots. They’re No. 1 in the league in transition efficiency. They cause turnovers, which is the equivalent of layups. And if you take bad shots, they go down, and they score.”

Although Atkinson didn’t like some of those possessions in the latter half of the game, Cleveland still shot 48.3% from the field and outrebounded the Thunder in the paint 56-40 overall. The problem is that OKC scored a total of 31 points on 17 possessions in the opener. The Cavs had 20 points each from Mitchell, Merrill and Harden, but the big players were not involved against the Thunder frontcourt, possibly due to the threat of their passing-lane defense.

The Cavs’ recurring problem comes at the wrong time.

Very often, especially in the final period, a familiar issue rears its head.

“I felt like they got some important offensive rebounds when we got stops,” Atkinson said. “We’ve got to clean it up. For me, that’s our Achilles heel right now, defensive rebounding. They got some big ones at the end. Best team in the league, extra possessions. It really hurts you.”

“I think we just have to work on rebounding,” Mitchell said. “That’s been an ongoing theme. We’ve got to bounce back and give ourselves a chance to get out there and get there. Once we get back [from the deficit]We were just giving them extra opportunities. Some people took shots, credit goes to them, it is not necessary that they always take shots. But at the same time, it’s easier to make threes when you don’t get the rebound. These are the things I focus on. We’ll see it on film and get better.”

If you look at the stat sheet, the battle of the boards was also at 44 copies. However, the difference between Chet Holmgren’s 15 and Evan Mobley’s 2 sticks like a sore thumb compared to the Jarrett Allen-Isaiah Hartenstein matchup that was in favor of the wine and gold (13-7).

These were the times OKC kept it alive or the key points in the game where the Cavs needed to come up with the basketball that hurt them. Gang rebounding needed to improve in those situations, especially when Mobley and Allen were switching near the perimeter.

“We missed some open looks, which happens, but we couldn’t get the boards,” Mitchell said. “Hertenstein, I think we were up one or the game was tied, and he scored six straight points, two of them off Hartenstein’s floaters. Little things like that. Or, we make a great possession play, the ball is on the floor, JA gets in the back door because we’re trying to scramble.

“It’s little things like that on top of rebounding. When you’re against a team like that, every little thing matters a lot. We’re not sitting here with our heads down. We’ve got things we can clean up, and we’ll figure it out and get better.”

After all, there’s no need to point any fingers after the new-look version of Cleveland loses its first game.

“We did a lot of positive things,” Mitchell said. “We’re still figuring things out as a group. Even in that fourth quarter, figuring out, ‘Okay, is it me or is Eve coming to set the screen? Is it JA? Is it Sam? Sam is Roller, what are you doing?’ There are a lot of things to figure out. At the end of the day, we won’t turn our heads over this. This is a part of it. “We weren’t going to go 29-0, but we still have stuff to clean up and fix.”

“Listen, it’s no excuse, but it’s a tough schedule: 3-in-4, afternoon games,” Atkinson said. “On the road, it makes it a little different. It is what it is, and we have to overcome those tough schedule games. I’m proud of the way the guys battled and gave us a chance.”

Although it may be lacking now, it could eventually pay off if Cleveland uses it correctly.

“This is our sixth game together,” Harden said. “I think it’s bigger than them. I think it’s on us every night, no matter who we’re playing. It’s a lot of things we’re still figuring out — rotations, lineups, all that stuff. Once we get to that and figure out how we’re playing and the lineups and all that, we’ll be a lot better. But give them credit, they played a great game today and we still have some work to do.”

“The games and the reps. You look at this team. They’ve had postseason failures a few years and they’re finally over the hump. It all takes time, so these games are very valuable. We’ve got to cherish them like practice in games because it’s our sixth game. Lesson learned. Watch film, get better, and be ready for the next game.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – Without three of their top four scorers, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and the Cleveland Cavs – 121-113 – at Paycom Center on Sunday. The defending champions took a 28-5 lead in the opening frame. Without the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, the starters took advantage of defensive stops and elite shooting as Oklahoma City drained eight of its 21 threes in the first quarter.

In regards to who would guard Mitchell and Harden, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault revealed that the defensive assignment of Lou Dort over Mitchell won a 6–5 vote among his coaching staff. Cason Wallace spent most of the game facing Harden. Mitchell scored 20 points, but it took him nearly 20 attempts (9 of 19) to get there, as he was 0 of 6 from deep.

Harden scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, nine assists and five rebounds. Wallace finished with 20 points with a career-high 10 assists and recorded his first double-double and three steals. Isaiah Joe’s 22 points led seven Thunder players into double figures, including Dort (12 points, two steals) and Oklahoma City’s entire starting lineup.

The defending champions’ strong defense forced 17 Cavs turnovers, which the Thunder converted into 31 points en route to an eight-point victory.

Cason Wallace shows off his signature performance in Thunder’s win

Thunder guard Cason Wallace understands the assignment ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Cavs. Before facing one of the league’s highest scoring backcourts in Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. And while the Thunder’s newest guards in Jared McCann and Nicola Topic have gotten acclimated to their new surroundings, Wallace has helped fill the void left after losing All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell and Alex Caruso.

After the game, Wallace spoke to the media On his outlook ahead of the Thunder’s matinee matchup against the Cavs.

“I come into the game knowing that I have a high-level opponent that I have to guard against, you know, compete for minutes with him,” Wallace said. “First I had to slow him down. Then, offensively, we’ve got a lot of guys that are good at making plays. So, I can make some plays myself on offense, but those guys help me a lot on that end.”

Cason Wallace on the Thunder’s offense and OKC’s defense against the Cavs’ Mitchell and Harden: “Felt like we came in warmed up, had a little bit of momentum at the beginning of the game… I’ve got to slow it down first.

Then, offensively, we’ve got a lot of guys who are good at making plays.” pic.twitter.com/U65bg0x2bR

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 22 February 2026

The Thunder will travel to face the Raptors on Tuesday.