OKC Thunder Snap Losing Skid with 129-125 Overtime Victory Against Utah Jazz
Shai Gilgeous Alexander proved exactly why he is the reigning MVP, carrying the Thunder through a night where the team struggled from beyond the arc. After Lauri Markkanen put the Jazz ahead with just 3.2 seconds left in regulation, Gilgeous Alexander calmly drained a 13 foot jumper as time expired to tie the game at 114-114. He finished the night with 46 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, while extending his historic streak of scoring at least 20 points to 109 consecutive games.
Overtime Heroics and Chet Holmgren’s Impact
In the extra period, Gilgeous-Alexander continued his dominance by scoring nine of the Thunders 15 points. However, the biggest play of overtime came from Chet Holmgren, who slammed home a putback dunk off an SGA miss with 30 seconds left to break a 125-125 tie. Holmgren finished with a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds, providing a much needed interior presence. The Thunder secured the win at the free throw line, improving their record to 31-7 on the season.
Jazz Battle Back After 20 Point Deficit
The Utah Jazz showed incredible resilience after falling behind by 20 points early in the second quarter. Led by Lauri Markkanens 29 points and 13 rebounds, Utah fought their way back to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Keyonte George added 25 points and 11 assists, while Jusuf Nurkic contributed 15 points and 15 rebounds before fouling out in overtime. Despite the loss, Utahs ability to out rebound the Thunder 65-45 kept them in the game until the final seconds.
Shooting Struggles and Look Ahead
Oklahoma City won despite a diabolical shooting night from three point range, hitting a season low 18.4% of their attempts. The team was especially cold after halftime, making only one of their 18 attempts from deep during the second half and overtime combined. Coach Mark Daigneault credited the win to the teams defensive grit and SGAs ability to create shots in traffic. The Thunder will now head to Memphis for a Friday night matchup, while the Jazz return home to host the Dallas Mavericks.