Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder to easy win in homecoming

Royce Young @royceyoung
Thunder beat the Raptors 123-103.
– SGA: 23-7-8 +3 steals
– Dub: 20-3-3 + 3 steals
– Chet: 18 and 10 rebounds
– Wallace: 12 (3-5 from 3)
– Kenrich Williams: 12 and 5 rebounds + 4 steals
– Giddey: 10 and 5 assists – Dort: 10 – 9:13 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
‘Topes lose. 123-103. 23/8/7 for SGA, 20 for Jalen Williams, 21 for Dick, 16/6/5 from KO. That’s nine losses in a row in the heroic battle for 25th. – 9:13 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
FINAL: Thunder 123, Raptors 103
SGA – 23 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals
JDub – 20 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Chet – 18 points, 10 rebounds
Dick – 21 points, 5 rebounds
Olynyk – 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists
OKC is 49-20 – 9:12 PM

Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
In the end, Thunder will beat Raptors easily. Great fight from Raptors though. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander held to 23 points on 9-for-20 shooting, his second-lowest scoring game at home in five games here. – 9:12 PM

Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played at least one game vs 28 of the NBA’s other 29 teams this season. The only one he hasn’t dropped 30+ points on: the Toronto Raptors.
Only teams that have held him under 30+ twice this season: Raptors, Mavs, Nuggets, Lakers, Grizzlies. – 9:10 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
Easy transition layup for SGA to push OKC’s lead to 118-97. Turnovers have been a problem for Toronto tonight with a season-high 25. Raptors call a timeout with 3:14 left in the 4Q – 9:07 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needs 11 points in the 4th quarter to score 30 tonight.
SGA can join James Harden as the only players in NBA history to score 30 vs 29 teams if he can get 30 vs the Raps and Bucks.
Thunder up 89-78. – 8:45 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
End of 3Q: Thunder 89, Raptors 78
SGA – 19 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals
Chet – 18 points, 8 rebounds
JDub – 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Dick – 18 points, 5 rebounds
Olynyk – 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Brown – 10 points, 5 assists – 8:42 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Thunder up 89-78 after 3. SGA has 19/7/6, Agbaji doing some light triple-double flirtation with 8/6/6. – 8:41 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
I think Team USA has to consider Jahmi’us Ramsey simply as a SGA stopper. – 8:39 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
SGA picks up his 4th foul with 7:20 left in the 3Q – 8:29 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren at the half
SGA
12 PTS
6 AST
2 STL
Chet
12 PTS
7 REB
2 STL – 8:04 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
HALF: Thunder 63, Raptors 56
SGA – 12 points, 6 assists
Chet – 12 points, 7 rebounds
Kenrich – 9 points, 4 rebounds
Olynyk – 14 points
Dick – 13 points, 3 rebounds
Brown – 8 points, 5 assists – 8:04 PM

Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
OKC is an hour behind Toronto. That’s why the Thunder stunk in the first quarter. SGA and Co. definitely here now. – 7:50 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Raptors lead Thunder 35-28 after 1Q after 13-point burst form Gradey Dick, which is a tweet I definitely had scheduled before the game started. Shai has 8 and 4 for Thunder. – 7:37 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
End of 1Q: Raptors 35, Thunder 28
SGA – 8 points, 4 assists
Chet – 6 points, 2 rebounds
Joe – 6 points
Dick – 13 points, 3 rebounds
Brown – 7 points, 3 assists – 7:37 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Raptors play about as well as you can ask them to, and lead 35-28.
Gradey Dick has 13, SGA has 8 and 4. – 7:36 PM

Rylan Stiles @Rylan_Stiles
Such a good play to settle the offense down Joe guard to guard screen, SGA hits him after a pop, he fired it to the corner for a Kenrich 3 as the defense was left on their heels rotating. Then Kenrich cleans things up with a slam into the timeout. – 7:24 PM

Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
Hamilton’s own Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 26.5 points per game at Toronto in four appearances. That’s 9th amongst all players (minimum 4 games). Can move ahead of Kobe Bryant’s 26.6 at Toronto with a regular SGA performance. – 7:16 PM

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Lots of cheers for Lu Dort and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tonight.
Lots of boos for Josh Giddey – 7:06 PM

Clemente Almanza @CAlmanza1007
Thunder starting lineup:
SGA
Giddey
Dort
JDub
Chet – 6:36 PM

Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Thunder starters vs Raptors
SGA
Dort
Giddey
JDub
Chet
Raps and Bucks are the only teams SGA hasn’t scored 30 against.
OKC plays the Bucks 2 more times.
Tonight is Shai’s last chance vs Toronto. – 6:35 PM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Javon Freeman-Liberty is starting along with the new regulars.
OKC is starting SGA/Giddey/Dort/Williams/Holmgren
Seems even. – 6:33 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Always great to have @PHDMAC produce ‘Words by Grange’ — this one is why SGA is H I M. sportsnet.ca/nba/video/how-… – 6:25 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
I have a pet theory that being truly great, athletically, requires emotional maturity & wisdom beyond your years. There are exceptions, but not many, as so much comes at you that would be hard to manage otherwise. In that light, SGA (age 25) on his low-key leadership style: pic.twitter.com/Y2azX3mPQD – 12:09 PM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
12 months ago Shai Gilgeous-Alexander arrived in Toronto as a candidate for all-NBA. A year later he’s here with a real case as MVP. He’s got my vote: sportsnet.ca/nba/article/th… – 11:37 AM

Michael Grange @michaelgrange
SGA: “When I first met Lu, he couldn’t even speak English
Dort: (unseen, behind a scrum) “Come on bro ….
SGA: “Back when you were still in high school ….!”
(Dort grew up in French-speaking Montreal before moving to Toronto area for last year of HS) – 11:33 AM

Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Northern Star Award winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pic.twitter.com/Fl3oIV7rT6 – 11:31 AM

Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receives his Northern Star Award for Canada’s best athlete of 2023. pic.twitter.com/3XJ4bt5aKl – 11:21 AM