OKC Thunder rallies to beat Utah Jazz, keep unbeaten in NBA Cup play

[ad_1] The OKC Thunder continued its dominant begin to the season with a 144-112 street win over the Utah Jazz on Friday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 31 factors and eight assists in half-hour. He went 9 for 14 from the sector (3 for 3 from deep).

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OKC improved to 16-1 on the season and 2-0 in NBA Cup group play. Subsequent up is a house recreation in opposition to the Portland Path Blazers, the one workforce that has crushed the Thunder all season, at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Listed below are three takeaways from the win:

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The rim confirmed Utah some love within the first quarter Kevin Love, with hair snowier than mountains within the Wasatch Vary, is the previous man of the Utah Jazz.

The 37-year-old ahead is just about eight months youthful than his head coach, Will Hardy. And he is extra identified for racking up likes on his viral Instagram posts than factors at this stage in his illustrious profession.

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However Love turned again the clock halfway by the primary quarter, sinking three 3-pointers in a span of two minutes. And with a number of seconds left within the opening body, the 18-year vet heaved one other deep bomb from the nook.

Gilgeous-Alexander tried to shut out in time, however he watched because the ball splashed by the rim.

That ended a dominant opening quarter by Utah, which claimed a 44-30 lead on 15-for-23 taking pictures from the sector (65%) and 8-for-13 taking pictures from deep (62%). It is probably the most factors OKC's league-leading protection has allowed in any quarter all season.

Love led the way in which with 12 factors on 4-for-5 taking pictures from deep in solely seven minutes.

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OKC silenced Utah with a dominant third quarter Jaylin Williams wears his massive, toothy smile prefer it's a part of his uniform. It is at all times on show, together with halfway by the third quarter of Friday's contest.

Kyle Filipowski had some phrases for Williams after they jostled for place down low, and but OKC's 23-year-old massive man did not say a lot again. He simply flashed his smile, virtually as if he grew happier the angrier Filipowski received.

Williams then gave a real rebuttal with 1:36 left within the quarter. He drilled a 3-pointer over Filipowski, giving OKC a commanding 102-86 lead. And as he jogged again on protection, Williams might be seen grinning from ear to ear.

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OKC let its play do the speaking in the course of the third quarter. It outscored Utah 43-20 and silenced a Delta Middle crowd that was deafening earlier within the contest.

The Thunder held the Jazz to only 6-for-16 taking pictures from the sector (37.5%) within the quarter, and it pressured 10 turnovers. It even went on a 33-4 run at one level.

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Thunder claimed management of its NBA Cup group standings The gang at Delta Middle went silent as OKC went on its dominant third-quarter run. However almost 650 miles away, a commotion might be heard.

It got here when Collin Gillespie sank a operating jumper over Donte DiVincenzo within the closing seconds of Phoenix's house recreation in opposition to Minnesota, sealing a 114-113 win. And whereas sound solely travels thus far, the affect of that shot might nonetheless be felt in Salt Lake Metropolis.

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Minnesota entered Friday with a 2-0 file in NBA Cup play, and it was in first place in Group A of the Western Convention. However with its loss to Phoenix and OKC's win over Utah, the Thunder is now in first place.

OKC (2-0) has a tiebreaker over Phoenix (2-0) as a result of level differential. It has received its video games by 63 mixed factors, whereas the Suns have received by 23 factors.

OKC will conclude group play with house video games in opposition to Minnesota on Nov. 26 and Phoenix on Nov. 28. The highest workforce from every of the six teams will advance to the knockout spherical along with one wild-card workforce from every convention.

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Tip-ins Gilgeous-Alexander has scored not less than 20 factors in 89 consecutive regular-season video games, which is the third-longest streak in NBA historical past. He trails Wilt Chamberlain, who had two streaks of 126 video games and 92 video games.

Cason Wallace recorded 4 steals to associate with his 10 factors. He is tied with Atlanta's Dyson Daniels for probably the most complete steals (38) within the NBA this season.

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Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a narrative thought for Justin? He might be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Join the Thunder Sports activities Minute e-newsletter to entry extra NBA protection. Help Justin's work and that of different Oklahoman journalists by buying a digital subscription immediately at subscribe.oklahoman.com.