The Oklahoma City Thunder (21-1) stepped up in the final quarter and outlasted the undermanned Golden State Warriors (11-11) with a 124-112 victory on December 3.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game:
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OKC PG 38 PTS | 3 REB | 4 AST | 50.6 FPS
SGA remained unstoppable on offense, pouring in 9 points in the final minute of the second quarter to push his team to a 19-point advantage. He finished with his 18th 30-point game and his best shooting performance of the season, knocking down 5-of-6 from the three-point area.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Gary Payton II GSW SG 13 PTS | 5 REB | 5 AST | 23.5 FPS
Payton has been producing lately, contributing solid value in points, rebounds, and assists in three of his last four games.
SCORING MACHINES:
Jalen Williams OKC SG 22 PTS | 3 REB | 6 AST | 37.6 FPS
JDub’s offense has been subpar since his return, but he broke out for his first 20-point game of the season while maintaining his usual impact in other areas. He’s averaging 5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.7 stocks in three games.
Chet Holmgren OKC C 21 PTS | 8 REB | 1 BLK | 35.1 FPS
Chet has been scoring around 20 points over his last three games while pulling almost 10 rebounds in his last five.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Draymond Green GSW PF 13 PTS | 9 REB | 4 AST | 29.8 FPS
Green struggled badly in their recent game against the Pelicans, finishing 0-for-9 from the field, including a rough 0-for-7 from three. He bounced back today with his fourth 10-point outing in his last five games while also posting his third straight game with 9 rebounds.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Cason Wallace OKC SG 6 REB | 1 BLK | 2 STL | 20.7 FPS
Wallace posted his fifth 5-rebound game of the season and his tenth game with 3 or more stocks.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Seth Curry GSW SG 14 PTS | 2 REB | 2 AST | 22.4 FPS
Seth made an immediate impact in his debut, finishing with an efficient 6-of-7 shooting from the field. He should also see a larger role in the offensive end with both Steph and Butler injured.
THE X-FACTOR:
Aaron Wiggins OKC SG 11 PTS | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 20.6 FPS
Wiggins delivered on both ends, finishing with his eighth double-digit scoring game of the season, along with his second 3-stock performance in his last three.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Brandin Podziemski GSW SG 17 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST | 26.8 FPS
Podz has scored around the 15-point mark in three straight games while also delivering good value in both rebounds and assists in back-to-back games.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Buddy Hield GSW SG 13 PTS | 4-15 FG | 2 STL
Buddy had to step up offensively with key players injured, posting his seventh double-digit scoring performance this season. But his struggles were obvious as he’s shot a combined 4-of-16 from three in his last two outings.
