The 16-1 Oklahoma City Thunder inched one step closer to the best regular-season record in NBA history when it erased an 18-point deficit amid a game-defining 30-2 run in a 144-112 NBA Cup win against the Utah Jazz. The Thunder connected on eight of its season-high 23 threes after halftime as it outscored the Jazz 43-20 in the third quarter of Friday's 144-122 victory.
All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points, eight assists, one steal, and one block through three quarters. Jaylin Williams scored 15 points on a career-high five threes. He also finished with six rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Isaiah Joe had 16 points, including four threes, and Alex Caruso chipped in 11 points and three assists.
Utah's six threes in the opening frame led to a 44-point quarter, the most by either team, as Oklahoma City shot 61% overall, including 62% from deep, connecting on 23-of-37 threes. The Thunder turned its 14-point deficit, which ballooned to 18 in the second quarter, into a double-digit lead by scoring 37 and 43 points in the second and third.
Still, the Thunder's 30-2 run was the quintessential moment that exemplified the defending champion's dominance, extending the NBA's best record to 17 wins in 18 tries, with enough time for Gilgeous-Alexander to sit out the entire fourth quarter. Oklahoma City coerced the Jazz into a whopping 27 turnovers.
The Thunder improved to 2-0 in West Group A of the NBA Cup.
Branden Carlson on returning to Utah for Thunder NBA Cup duel
Thunder center Branden Carlson revealed why Friday's matchup was special as he headed home to Utah, where he grew up, to face the Jazz. Carlson, in his second season with the Thunder, explained why being back in a state that raised him meant so much to him.
“It's super special. The fact that I'm even here is a huge blessing, and I couldn't have done it without my family, my parents, especially, doing what they did for me,” Carlson said. “So, to be able to play in this building tonight and just being back home is always a lot of fun. Basically, you have a lot of support.”
Carlson admits that facing adversity, such as not making his high school basketball team, made Utah unique for him.
“You go through the adversity of getting cut from high school, to injuries, to hard teammates, to all this,” Carlson added. “There's a lot of things you can put into it. But I think a lot of it just comes down to the people you surround yourself with — what they can do to help you and put you in the best position, and what you do with that.”
Carlson finished with seven points on 3-of-4 attempts, one assist, and one block in Friday's win against the Jazz.
