SGA drops 40 in his return to power Thunder to win
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) -- The Oklahoma City Thunder returned home to kickoff a four-game homestand to close the regular season. OKC received a big boost before the game against the Sacramento Kings when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams returned to the starting lineup. The two stars had missed several games dealing with lingering injuries.
The Thunder would start off slow, falling behind by as many as 20 points in the second quarter. Head Coach Mark Daigneault and the team gathered at halftime to figure out what the problem was. Then the team finally found its groove in the third quarter, trimming the lead down to just three by the end of the quarter.
In the fourth, OKC took its first lead of the game on a Cason Wallace three-pointer. The two teams would battle it out the rest of the way, trading the lead several times. In the final moments of the game the Thunder were able to seal the deal behind a clutch basket from Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA had a game-high 40 points in his return, leading OKC to a 112-105 win.
Luguentz Dort chipped in with 18 points, Chet Holmgren had 15, and Isaiah Joe added in 10. Williams totaled up 11 points in his return to game action.
The 20-point comeback win is the 17th double-digit comeback win on the season for the Thunder, which leads the NBA.
Oklahoma City moves to 54-25 on the season and sit a game behind the Timberwolves and Nuggets for first place in the Western Conference. The team is back in action on Wednesday when they host the San Antonio Spurs.