Game Grades: OKC Thunder come out flat again in loss to Nets

The OKC Thunder came out flat against the Brooklyn Nets and suffered their second straight loss to open up the road trip.

On Friday, the Oklahoma City Thunder might have had their worst game of the year.

 

The Thunder suffered their second consecutive defeat, falling to the Brooklyn Nets 124-115. The Thunder started the game with little intensity following a demoralizing loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, and they didn’t find their groove until it was too late.

The OKC Thunder dug too big of a hole to come back in Brooklyn.

After competing close for the first few minutes, the Nets took off toward the end of the first quarter. Eventually, it would result in a 28-point halftime lead that grew to as large as 32 in the third quarter

While many things went wrong for the Thunder, rebounding was at the forefront as they gave up 20 offensive rebounds for the fifth time this season. Outside shooting was also a major factor.

The Thunder went 9 of 31 that night from beyond the arc after missing their opening 11 attempts.

Even so, the Thunder rallied late to cut the Nets’ advantage to six, but they ran out of time to pull off the victory. After a terrible first half, the Thunder showed fight in the second half for the second straight game.

When Oklahoma City plays the Washington Wizards on Monday, they will have an opportunity to improve their start and get back to winning.

Grading the OKC Thunder starters:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, OKC Thunder: B+

At this point, it feels like Gilgeous-Alexander is going to get his no matter what.

He was effective from the field, going 11 of 19 for 34 points in the game. But that was also one of his worst nights of the season for free throw shooting.

His only other game with a lower %, shooting 5-of-8, was against the Boston Celtics. However, his 10-of-15 performance in Brooklyn was good for his lowest game since the 2021–2022 campaign where he attempted at least 10 free throws.

He contributed nine rebounds, six assists, and just two mistakes to give the Thunder have a slim chance in the closing minutes despite his problems at the free throw line.

Josh Giddey, G, OKC Thunder: B+

Giddey may be figuring things out after another solid game in Brooklyn.

After nailing four 3-pointers in the Thunder’s last game against the Nets,

Giddey set his sights on the inside this time. He was particularly aggressive in

the fourth quarter as the Thunder fought to get back in the game.

He battled through defenders on drives to make three layups that quarter and

looked like he did in FIBA play over the Summer. He also added eight rebounds and five assists.

Lu Dort, F, OKC Thunder: C+

Dort played well defensively as usual, but some late fouls cost Oklahoma City momentum and allowed Brooklyn to keep a sizeable lead.

Still, Dort shot 5-of-8 from the floor, nailing two 3-pointers. He also added a team-high three steals.

Jalen Williams, F, OKC Thunder: B

Williams continued his great fourth-quarter play in Brooklyn. However, with 12 of his 20 points coming that quarter, the Thunder needed more production from him early.

Still, he made some important baskets as the Thunder cut into the lead. Along with his second straight 20-point game, Williams grabbed five rebounds and added five assists.

Chet Holmgren, C, OKC Thunder: C

The rookie big man has been the most significant difference from last season for the Thunder. Of course, that is because of his inside presence. But that presence was nowhere to be seen in Brooklyn.

Holmgren finished with just one block, coming in the fourth quarter while battling for a defensive rebound. When it came to grabbing those defensive boards, he could only come away with three, marking the fourth time in the past five games he has failed to reach four defensive rebounds after doing so just once before.

Grading the OKC Thunder’s best bench performer:

Vasilije Micic, G, OKC Thunder: B

After spending most of the season sitting on the bench, Micic is getting some more run as he better adjusts to the grind of an NBA season. His game in Brooklyn was another example of the value he can bring to the Thunder.

While his numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet, Micic made some important plays. He scored back-to-back layups in the second quarter as Brooklyn’s lead was larger than it had been at any other point, and had a stepback jumper in the fourth as Oklahoma City made a run.

Add in three assists, a steal and a block, and Micic made the exact type of impact the Thunder hope to get from him.

Grading the best Net:

Nic Claxton, C, Brooklyn Nets: A

While Dennis Smith Jr. deserves an honorable mention with a near triple-double and six offensive boards, Claxton one-upped him.

The youthful center for the Nets ended with eight offensive rebounds out of a total of 13. Throughout the entire evening, the Thunder were killed by his effort on the glass.

Moreover, he tied Spencer Dinwiddie with 23 points to lead Brooklyn in scoring. Claxton made 8 of his 11 free throw attempts from the field, all of which came from inside the paint, including five dunks.