The Oklahoma City Thunder continued their dominant run on Saturday night, cruising to a 132-111 win over the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center. Led by another stellar performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league-leading Thunder extended their winning streak to nine games and strengthened their grip on the NBA’s best record at 62-12.
Despite a slow shooting start, Gilgeous-Alexander still managed to put up 33 points, adding eight assists and seven rebounds. The All-Star guard went 10-of-23 from the field and was highly efficient from the free-throw line, knocking down 10-of-12 attempts.
Lu Dort provided a major boost from beyond the arc, hitting six of his seven three-point attempts on his way to 22 points. Isaiah Joe added 19 points off the bench, connecting on five three-pointers, while Jalen Williams contributed 18 points and six assists in the all-around team effort.
Thunder Take Over in Second Half
Indiana kept pace early, jumping out to an 18-9 lead midway through the first quarter thanks to strong shooting from Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard. However, the Thunder’s defense tightened, and a late first-quarter surge, fueled by back-to-back threes from Joe, helped OKC take a 29-27 lead after one.
The Thunder gradually built momentum, closing the first half on a 20-7 run to enter halftime with a 61-49 advantage. In the third quarter, Oklahoma City broke the game open with a 41-point outburst, highlighted by Dort’s sharpshooting and aggressive drives from Williams. Isaiah Joe’s consecutive threes late in the third stretched the lead to 98-78, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Oklahoma City’s defense played a significant role in the victory, holding Indiana’s fast-paced offense in check. The Pacers, who had scored 162 points in their previous game against Washington, struggled against the Thunder’s top-rated defense, shooting just 44.8% from the field and committing 11 turnovers.
Key Takeaways
Gilgeous-Alexander Gets It Done Late
After a tough shooting start (6-of-18 through three quarters), SGA found his rhythm in the fourth, hitting 4-of-5 shots to close out the game.
Thunder Own the Paint and Perimeter
OKC outscored Indiana 58-40 in the paint and shot a scorching 17-of-36 from three-point range, thanks to big nights from Dort and Joe.
Pacers Struggle to Dictate Tempo
Indiana thrives in transition, but the Thunder flipped the script, outscoring the Pacers 15-7 in fast-break points while limiting Haliburton’s playmaking to just three assists.
What’s Next
Oklahoma City will look to keep rolling as they host the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Pacers return home to face the Sacramento Kings as they continue their push for homecourt advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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