The Oklahoma City Thunder (26-3) stayed perfect at home, improving to 14-0 with a convincing 119-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies (13-16) on December 23.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game:
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander OKC PG 31 PTS | 10 REB | 4 STL | 65.0 FPS
SGA has been incredibly consistent on offense, scoring 30+ points in his last three games and also made history, becoming just the second player in NBA history to score 20+ points in 100 consecutive games. He was just as impressive in other areas, posting season-high numbers in both rebounds and steals while adding his ninth 8-assist game of the season.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Ajay Mitchell OKC SG 16 PTS | 9 REB | 2 STL | 32.8 FPS
Mitchell has found his rhythm offensively, scoring around the 15-point mark in his last three games after an underwhelming start to the month. He also added a season-high in rebounds and continued to be productive defensively, ranking 9th in the league in total steals.
SCORING MACHINES:
Jalen Williams OKC SG 24 PTS | 6 REB | 2 AST | 32.2 FPS
JDub had a tough shooting night, finishing 1-for-6 from long range. Still, he recorded his fourth 20-point game of the season while adding his sixth 5-rebound performance.
Cedric Coward MEM SG 16 PTS | 8 REB | 6 AST | 37.6 FPS
Coward continues to be reliable in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.3 points and 7.0 rebounds this month. He also showed potential as a playmaker, posting his fifth 5-assist game of the season.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Jock Landale MEM C 11 PTS | 10 REB | 3 AST | 25.5 FPS
Landale has been a force in rebounding, recording 8+ boards for the fifth time in his last six outings. He also finished with his third double-double of the season.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Luguentz Dort OKC SF 13 PTS | 3 STL | 3 BLK | 35.8 FPS
Dort was a game-changer on defense, posting season-high numbers in both steals and blocks. He was also impactful on offense, scoring 10 points and hitting 3 three-pointers in back-to-back games.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope MEM SG 13 PTS | 5-6 3PT | 4 AST |22.6 FPS
KCP had his best shooting performance of the season and has scored in double figures in three straight games.
THE X-FACTOR:
Kenrich Williams OKC PF 11 PTS | 6 REB | 4 STL | 34.7 FPS
Williams made a big impact in the second quarter and finished with his second 10-point, 5-rebound game of the season.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Cam Spencer MEM SG 14 PTS | 5 REB | 8 AST | 31.0 FPS
Spencer stayed hot on offense, averaging 20 points and five three-pointers over his last four games. He’s also been excellent as a playmaker, leading the team in assists for the fifth time and averaging nearly seven assists this month.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Jaren Jackson Jr. MEM C 11 PTS | 3 REB | 1 AST
JJJ came off a hot streak, averaging 27 points and 8 rebounds over his last three games, but was ineffective today. He remained productive in defense, however, averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.8 steals this month.
