Oklahoma City Kicks Off Eastern Conference Trip with Blowout Win in Toronto

Are you scared of the six? 

Last night, the Oklahoma City Thunder were anything but scared. 

The Thunder came out on top over the Toronto Raptors in a 123-103 blowout, even though the game was within reach for the vast majority of the contest. Most of the damage came within a 34-point fourth quarter, outstretching the lead enough to secure the win with plenty of time to spare. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way by stuffing the stat sheet with 23 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, three steals and a block. He struggled with a 1-of-5 shooting split from 3-point range and turned the ball over six times, but it was still enough to bring Oklahoma City its 49th win of the season in his home country.

Not far behind was Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren’s 20 and 18 points respectively, making for a solid combined effort for the Thunder’s franchise trio. Williams made a huge defensive impact by grabbing three steals and blocking two shots, while Holmgren also added 10 rebounds, two steals and a block. 

Toronto’s 37 points off turnovers nearly cost Oklahoma City the win. Even though the Raptors had 10 more turnovers, the Thunder didn’t come close to capitalizing off them as much. It managed to slightly win the battle from behind the arc and the free-throw line and had nearly 20 more attempts from the field, however, giving it a much larger chance at winning the game. 

It was a slow start to the game for Oklahoma City, failing to a 17-9 deficit in the first six minutes. The Raptors were firing away from the 3-point line, including several makes from Raptors rookie Gradey Dick, who torched the Thunder in the first half. 

Oklahoma City did start to go on a run in the second quarter, making it a 51-41 game at one point. Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Williams all had solid halves, leading the Thunder to a 63-56 lead ahead of halftime. 

To open up the third quarter, Oklahoma City went on a 7-0 run to extend the lead even further. The offense finally opened up the drought it sustained for most of the contest, with Gilgeous-Alexander especially catapulting the scoring run. By the start of the fourth quarter, it secured a double-digit lead. 

Toronto started to make a comeback in the fourth quarter, even getting it down to a six-point deficit with 8:25 remaining. The Thunder quickly alleviated that pressure, jumpstarting the offense to lead to an eventual 20-point win. 

Oklahoma City will return south of the border on Sunday, March 24 to play the Milwaukee Bucks (45-25) at 6:00 p.m. CT. It’ll be a battle against one of the top championship contenders in the Eastern Conference, making for a must-see matchup. 

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