Thunder post their highest point total of season

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) tries to drive past Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly, right, as guard Tyus Jones, left, watches through the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Washington Wizards 147-106 within the NBA on Friday night.

The Thunder moved right into a tie atop the Western Conference standings with Minnesota at 39-17. The Timberwolves dropped a 112-107 home decision to Milwaukee on Friday.

Chet Holmgren added 25 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which shot 59.8% from the sphere and 50% from 3-point-range (20 of 40).

The Thunder had their highest point total of the season, eclipsing their 140 points in a win over San Antonio on Jan. 24.

“We knew the sport plan, we executed it well and we actually trusted one another,” Holmgren said. “That’s how we got those open looks, and credit to everybody who got ‘em and knocked ’em down.”

❝We’ve got a team that actually enjoys playing together.❞@Jay_MWilliams_ with @NickAGallo following the competition 🎤 pic.twitter.com/2yZUW9x7lI
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) February 24, 2024

Oklahoma City led 80-57 at halftime and 117-81 after three quarters on an evening the organization recognized 10 former players as a part of Thunder Legacy Weekend.

“I feel we’ve gotten good (looks) the last couple of nights,” said Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault, whose team made 17 3’s in a 129-106 win over the Clippers on Thursday. “And that’s what we are able to control. We just wish to be a team that generates rhythm shots and open shots. I believed we did that tonight, we did that last night, we’ve done that for much of the 12 months. We’ve gotten more open 3’s than most teams within the league, and if we try this we trust that we’re going to make enough of them … .”

Jordan Poole scored 21 points off the bench and Corey Kispert added 20 points for Washington (9-47) which has lost 10 straight games.

“We had built some momentum going into the (All-Star) break,” said Washington coach Brian Keef, a former Thunder assistant. “I feel we had two tough games versus two tough teams. We actually didn’t finish the quarters well. The primary three quarters they type of made big runs in each quarter and that type of prolonged the sport. We’ve got a protracted remainder of the 12 months and were going to get back to work and keep recuperating.”

The Wizards dropped a 130-110 decision in Denver on Thursday night. Friday’s game was the second game of a back-to-back for each teams.

Oklahoma City scored 80 points in the primary half and led by 23 points on the break. Gilgeous-Alexander (20) and Holmgren (19) combined for 39 points on 16-for-21 shooting. The Thunder shot 73.7% from the sphere and 71.4% from beyond the arc.

“He’s just refining on the offensive end of the ground,” Daigneault said of Holmgren. “He’s shooting his catch-and shoots with loads of confidence straight away, no matter make or miss. He’s also getting his size into the sport across the basket, especially against switches. That’s been an adjustment for him from a coverage standpoint.”

The lead ballooned to 39 points on a 3-pointer by Jaylin Williams early within the fourth quarter, when Daigneault, who turned 39 Friday, emptied his bench. A 3-pointer by Aaron Wiggins with 1:24 left — the team’s 20 from long range — made it 147-101.

An evening after going scoreless in his Oklahoma City debut, Gordon Hayward finished with eight points on 3-of-7 shooting in quarter-hour.

Kenrich Williams added 12 points on 4 3-pointers, including three in a row during a stretch of the primary quarter because the Thunder prolonged a 26-23 result in 35-25.