Oklahoma City played a stellar game against Sacramento on Saturday night, showcasing an impressive performance that resulted in a 144-110 victory. Aaron Wiggins shined brightly, notching a personal best with 41 points along with 14 rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed significantly as well, scoring 29 points and providing nine assists for the Thunder, who improved their record to 38 wins and 9 losses this season. The team not only set a new high for points in a single game but also collected a season-best 70 rebounds.
Wiggins filled in for the injured Jalen Williams and was instrumental, converting 16 of 30 shots from the field and excelling with 6 of 14 from beyond the arc. During the fourth quarter, he added another 14 points to his tally. Lu Dort also made a noteworthy contribution, finishing the game with 20 points and eight rebounds, while the team dominated the first half with an astonishing 82 points.
On the other side, the Sacramento Kings struggled to keep pace. De’Aaron Fox was their leading scorer with 20 points, followed by Malik Monk with 19 points and seven assists, while DeMar DeRozan added 17 points to the mix. Gilgeous-Alexander was particularly effective in the first half, scoring 23 points, which played a crucial role in giving the Thunder an overwhelming 82-55 lead by halftime. This was the highest first-half score the Thunder achieved this season, coming just short of tying the franchise record for points in any half.
Oklahoma City’s robust defense and offensive execution saw them lead 36-31 after the opening quarter before outclassing the Kings 46-24 in the second quarter. The Thunder’s lead hit a remarkable 30 points following a three-pointer from Dort early in the third.
While all five starters for the Kings managed to score in double digits, the team faced difficulties, particularly from the three-point range, making just 11 out of 44 attempts, which is a mere 25%. The Thunder, despite missing All-Star forward Jalen Williams and guard Alex Caruso, maintained a significant advantage, both in rebounding and shooting accuracy.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Sacramento reduced their deficit to 53-44 with a layup from Domantas Sabonis. However, the Thunder swiftly responded with a 29-11 run, extending their lead to 82-55 by halftime, a gap that proved insurmountable.
In terms of rebounding, Oklahoma City dominated, pulling down 70 boards compared to Sacramento’s 37, which played a critical role in their commanding win.
Looking ahead, the Kings will be traveling to Minnesota on Monday, while the Thunder will take on the Milwaukee Bucks at home that same day.
