At 21-9, the Thunder are currently the second seed in a deep Western Conference. The team’s excellence is in part a credit to the ongoing greatness of its Big Three, as Joel Lorenzi The Oklahoman details.
Oklahoma City’s triumvirate of top-tier talent comprises All-Star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rookie center Chet Holmgren, and power forward Jalen Williams. Jalen Williams put on an offensive masterpiece in a 129-120 win against the Knicks Wednesday, scoring a career-most 36 points.
“He just gets more comfortable — every game, every week — with his reps,” Gilgeous-Alexander raved of the second-year big man. “Biggest thing with him was just him being aggressive early in his career. He’s starting to get around to that and trust his work.”
Williams also noted that his two-man game with Holmgren is improving by leaps and bounds.
“We’re trusting each other a lot more than we had been earlier in the year,” Williams said.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Although they are current a Western Conference-leading 24-7, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch is convinced Minnesota still needs to improve its scoring attack, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “There’s a lot of ways to be immature,” Finch said. “And generally, this team has been very mature. But we’ve got to grow up offensively. It’s time.”
- After suffering a dog attack on Christmas night that left him with hand and face lacerations, Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon is finally set to return to the team. Gordon has informed Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link) that he will be able to return to the floor Monday against the Hornets. His own Rottweiler is the dog responsible for biting him on Christmas, Gordon reveals. “He’s a good boy,” Gordon claimed. Prior to the news, reserve point guard Reggie Jackson indicated that Gordon was more focused on the reigning champs’ progress this season than his own recovery, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. “Aaron’s still concerned about the team,” Jackson said. “He wants to be back with the group, but we just want what’s best for him.”
- After having gone 3-1 across their four latest road games, Jazz head coach Will Hardy feels that Utah seems to be in an improved headspace, writes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. “Overall, it’s been a good road trip,” Hardy said. “We’ve been playing much better basketball the last three weeks than the beginning of the season… I do think our team is trending in the right direction.”