Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needed only three quarters to make his mark as the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled to a
114–75 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
The Thunder star finished with 30 points before sitting out the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City improved to 8–2, while Washington dropped to 4–6 following its third consecutive loss.
The difference was clear: Oklahoma City found offense from several contributors, while Washington struggled to make shots from the opening minutes.
Washington’s Shooting Struggles Set the Tone
The Wizards missed their first seven field-goal attempts, an early sign of the difficult night ahead.
Washington finished
29-for-98 from the field, shooting just 29.6%. Its outside shooting offered little relief: the Wizards made only seven of their 43 attempts from beyond the arc.
AJ Dybantsa led Washington with 19 points, while Alex Sarr contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds. Those performances were not enough to keep the Wizards within reach.
McCain and Mara Help Power Oklahoma City
Gilgeous-Alexander had plenty of support.
Jared McCain scored 19 points, including 17 before halftime. Aday Mara added 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, contributing on both ends of the floor.
Oklahoma City shot 50% in the first half and entered the break with a
57–36 advantage. McCain and Gilgeous-Alexander combined for 33 of those first-half points.
Thunder Keep Their Foot on the Gas
Washington never mounted a sustained comeback after halftime.
A Gilgeous-Alexander 3-pointer put Oklahoma City ahead 76–54 with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter. By the end of the period, the Thunder had stretched their lead to 90–59.
That comfortable margin allowed Gilgeous-Alexander to rest for the entire fourth quarter as Oklahoma City completed the 39-point win.
For the Thunder, it was a convincing combination of efficient scoring and contributions throughout the lineup. For Washington, the
shooting numbers told the story of a game that slipped away early.
