Giddey ‘doing it all’ in OKC statement; absurd end as Harden disaster fears grow — NBA Wrap

It was billed because the battle of the NBA’s two main Rookie of the Year contenders, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren.

That private duel although rapidly pale into the background because the Thunder ran out huge winners on Wednesday, dominating the Spurs on the best way to an announcement 123-87 win.

MVP chants broke out at Paycom Center for star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored a game-high 28 factors to go together with six rebounds, 5 assists and a staggering seven steals.

As an entire the Thunder had 19 steals — a franchise document.

Giddey, in the meantime, had his greatest sport of the season as he completed on 18 factors, seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.

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Giddey made a powerful begin to Wednesday’s sport, recording 4 factors, one help and a rebound within the opening 5 minutes as San Antonio took a slender 11-9 lead.

The Australian has spoken about placing an emphasis on taking part in with aggression from the bounce and did simply that towards the Spurs, slicing in the direction of the rim and ending by means of contact off a Holmgren go for the primary factors of the sport.

Holmgren, having flashed his playmaking potential, then confirmed his extra apparent worth on the opposite facet of the ground as he blocked a Jeremy Sochan shot, though Zach Collins flew by for the offensive rebound and end.

Just a few fast factors from Sochan put San Antonio forward 9-5 earlier than Giddey as soon as once more aggressively attacked the basket, this time driving in the direction of the rim for the layup.

Of course, Giddey’s highlight-reel passes haven’t simply disappeared and the 21-year-old reminded everybody simply how particular his court docket imaginative and prescient is as he whipped a go to Jalen Williams for the dunk.

“Just an outstanding pass for the dunk,” Stan van Gundy mentioned in commentary.

At that time the Spurs known as the primary timeout of the sport, main 11-9 after 5 minutes.

Gilgeous-Alexander began to actually insert himself into the motion when the sport resumed, including 4 fast factors within the area of 30 seconds in between a Collins layup.

That continued proper up till the top of the primary quarter as a sloppy San Antonio staff began to wrestle with turnovers, seeing Gilgeous-Alexander rating back-to-back buckets.

Still, what began as a seesawing affair between two groups on the rise largely ended that means too as OKC held a 28-25 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Thunder opened the second on a 14-3 run to construct the most important lead of the sport and whereas the Spurs have been in a position to considerably shut the deficit, turnovers continued to be an issue.

San Antonio was in a position to work its means again into the sport — and finally the lead — going up 49-48 earlier than a couple of turnovers as soon as extra gifted Oklahoma City simple factors.

Then there have been defensive breakdowns just like the one which noticed Giddey seize a defensive board after which go coast-to-coast untouched all the best way to the rim for the simple end.

The Thunder went on a 13-0 into halftime to go up 58-48, ending the half with one other Giddey highlight-reel play because the Australian fake-out handed to a slicing Holmgren.

It got here off the again of a terrific block from Wembanyama, who had 15 factors by halftime, on Holmgren. Giddey had eight factors, 5 assists, two rebounds and a block.

There have been nonetheless some classes for Giddey, who handed behind the again for an unaware Holmgren as an alternative of laying it in and subsequently turned the ball over within the third quarter.

As an entire although Wednesday’s sport was reflective of the various skillset Giddey provides that makes him so helpful for a younger Thunder staff nonetheless attempting to determine its id.

It was notably pleasing to see him persevering with to lean into utilizing his 6-foot-8 body extra to complete by means of contact, like he did to cap off a 22-8 run for Oklahoma City because the rating blew out.

HARDEN EXPERIMENT OFF TO A SHOCKER AS CLIPS LOSE FIFTH STRAIGHT AFTER WILD FINISH

Wednesday’s (AEDT) Clippers vs Nuggets conflict resulted in weird circumstances when a Paul George game-tying three level try within the remaining seconds was wedged between the rim and backboard.

The Nuggets have been in a position to achieve possession from the following jumpball at halfcourt and dangle on for a 111-108 win, handing the Clippers their fifth-straight loss.

George was supurb for the Clippers, scoring 35 factors whereas Nikola Jokic once more led the best way for the defending champs, recording 32 factors, 16 rebounds and 9 assists.

The Clippers led within the remaining quarter by as a lot as seven factors after a Kawhi Leonard bucket with six minutes remaining.

However, the Nuggets’ championship class got here to the fore whereas their opponents tried to play as people relatively than meshing as a unit.

It’s approach to early to make any grandiose statements concerning the Clippers’ commerce for James Harden, nevertheless it isn’t unfair to say that it has been a disastrous first week and a half.

For proof, look no additional than the Clippers’ document with Harden. After the tight loss to the Nuggets, they’re an unimaginable 0-5 since buying the polarising level guard in a commerce with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The efficiency towards Denver was an enchancment since Harden relocated to Los Angeles, however for a staff in an almighty stoop, ethical victories aren’t going to chop the mustard.

DYSON DANIELS EXCELS IN DEFENSIVE ASSIGNMENT AGAINST MAVERICKS

Elsewhere, Australian Dyson Daniels continues to benefit from his alternative beginning with the New Orleans Pelicans after proving a relentless menace on the defensive finish in a 131-110 blowout win towards the Dallas Mavericks.

Daniels, who had a career-best 17 factors in New Orleans’ loss to the Mavericks earlier within the week, obtained the beginning as soon as extra for the Pelicans and was matched up on Dallas famous person Luka Doncic within the opening quarter.

Daniels had matched up towards Doncic within the 136-124 loss and admitted he “got the better of me”. On Wednesday it was a really completely different story.

The younger Bendigo product’s size and sustained exercise on the defensive finish was inflicting all types of issues for Doncic, who lit up the Pelicans with 30 factors of their final assembly.

This time round although Doncic had 4 early turnovers, three of which got here instantly on account of stress from Daniels.

Those turnovers proved notably useful for New Orleans given its struggles on offence early in Wednesday’s sport, with Daniels even airballing a 3-point try.

At that time issues weren’t trying nice for the Pelicans because the Mavericks jumped out to a 7-2 lead, with Daniels forcing a turnover which gave Zion Williamson a clear lane to the rim just for the All-Star ahead to lose the ball out of bounds.

The Pelicans could not have gotten the end result that point however the continued power and energy on the defensive finish began to actually open issues up as New Orleans jumped out to a 23-14 lead at one level.

It wasn’t simply Daniels although. It was a staff effort generally too, with the Pelicans persevering with to use stress on Doncic within the second quarter as Daniels and Herb Jones double-teamed the Slovenian famous person to dam a shot try.

Daniels continued to make use of his size to disrupt passing lanes, forcing Doncic to go the ball to Derrick Jones Jr. who then had the ball stolen by Brandon Ingram, who in flip discovered Jordan Hawkins for the end.

“Dyson just did something on that play that will never show up on the stat sheet,” former NBA participant Antonio Daniels mentioned in commentary for the Pelicans broadcast.

“That was the reason they got that steal.”

The Pelicans took a 70-54 lead into halftime, holding Doncic and Kyrie Irving to simply 15 factors.

Standout rookie Jordan Hawkins, however, continues to make a right away impression and had 19 factors, three rebounds and two assists from simply 18 minutes within the opening half.

As spectacular as Daniels was within the first half, it goes with out saying that Jones too was simply as necessary on defence whereas including 13 factors and three assists.

Daniels wasn’t simply getting the job finished on defence although. He was additionally serving to run the offence and located a leaping Williamson for the emphatic dunk with a pinpoint lob go.

Daniels completed the sport with 10 factors, six assists, two rebounds and three steals.

Williamson and Ingram, in the meantime, lastly began to seek out success taking part in off one another after struggling to co-exist on the ground collectively within the Pelicans’ five-game dropping skid earlier than Wednesday.

Ingram had 25 factors, 9 rebounds, seven assists and two steals whereas Williamson had 19 factors, seven rebounds, 5 assists and two steals.

Australian Dante Exum was a shining mild for the Mavericks off the bench as he completed the sport with 9 factors and two assists.

PACERS POINT GUARD JOINS EXCLUSIVE CLUB

Indiana level guard Tyrese Haliburton turned simply the fifth participant in NBA historical past to document a minimum of 30 factors, 15 assists and 0 turnovers in a sport because the Pacers snapped the Philadelphia 76ers’ eight-game win streak with a 132-126 highway victory.

Haliburton joins elite firm in John Stockton, Chris Paul. LeBron James and James Harden as the one gamers to document such a statline.

The 23-year-old has a whopping 32 assists in his previous two video games with no turnover. He comfortably leads the league in assists (12.2), which is 2 a sport greater than the subsequent greatest participant (Trae Young).

If Haliburton continues on this trajectory, he might go down as the most effective passers of all time.

This is simply Haliburton’s second full season in Indiana, after starting his profession with Sacramento in 2020, who chosen the purpose guard with the twelfth total choose in that 12 months’s draft.

He and two different gamers have been traded to the Pacers in February 2022 in trade for stud huge man Domantas Sabonis.

Despite the speedy ascension of Haliburton since relocating to Indiana from sunny Sacramento, the commerce is to this point thought-about a uncommon win/win for each groups with Sabonis main the Kings again to the playoffs final season – the primary time since 2006.

With the win over the 76ers, the Pacers transfer to 7-4, good for fourth within the Eastern Conference whereas Philly are tied with the Boston Celtics for one of the best document within the East (8-2).

Philadelphia centre and reigning MVP Joel Embiid tried in useless, however his 39 factors, 12 rebounds and 6 assists weren’t sufficient because the 76ers couldn’t decelerate Indiana’s excessive octane offence.

NBA SCORES FOR NOVEMBER 15

Atlanta Hawks 126 @ Detroit Pistons 120

Miami Heat 111 @ Charlotte Hornets 105

Indiana Pacers 132 @ Philadelphia 76ers 126

San Antonio Spurs 87 @ Oklahoma City Thunder 123

Orlando Magic 104 @ Brooklyn Nets 124

Dallas Mavericks 110 @ New Orleans Pelicans 131

Portland Trail Blazers 99 @ Utah Jazz 115

Minnesota Timberwolves 104 @ Golden State Warriors 101

LA Clippers 108 @ Denver Nuggets 111

Memphis Grizzlies 107 @ LA Lakers 134