The defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder held off the New York Knicks, 103-100, on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, escaping after the hosts missed two clean looks to tie the game in the closing seconds.
Who & What: Oklahoma City secured the narrow win despite a depleted roster, improving its pursuit of the league’s best record.
When & Where: The matchup took place Wednesday evening in New York.
How: The Knicks’ last-minute opportunities rimmed out, allowing the Thunder to seal a contest that had swung on small margins throughout the fourth quarter. “We made enough plays down the stretch on both ends to close it out,” center Chet Holmgren said. “They made some plays, too. They just didn’t quite convert.”
Injury Context: Oklahoma City’s offense has lacked last season’s explosiveness while navigating an extensive injury list. Guard Jalen Williams has appeared in just 26 games because of a hamstring strain, and star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently returned from a nine-game absence. On Wednesday, guard Alex Caruso and center Isaiah Hartenstein exited with injuries, further testing the Thunder’s depth.
Depth Delivering: Gilgeous-Alexander praised the supporting cast. “We’re a pretty deep team,” he said. “With the injuries we’ve gone through this year, for us to still be in the mix for the top seed in the league and in the West is pretty impressive.” Rookie guard Cason Wallace recorded four steals while chasing Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, and forward Kenrich Williams knocked down a critical three-pointer in the fourth quarter to stem a New York surge.
Oklahoma City moves forward with championship habits intact, proving once again that every win does not have to be pretty—just secure.
Source: Hoops Wire
