Josh Giddey led the Oklahoma City Thunder with 24 points, closely followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 23, in a thrilling double-overtime 135-127 victory against the Toronto Raptors during Sunday’s NBA action. Despite facing a 23-point deficit, the Thunder mounted an impressive comeback.
Contributions also came from Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort, scoring 22 points, and Aaron Wiggins, who added 20, propelling Oklahoma City to a 35-15 record. The Thunder also matched a team record by sinking 23 3-pointers from 63 attempts.
Mark Daigneault, the Thunder’s coach, acknowledged the early challenges posed by the Raptors but praised his team’s resilience and confidence in overcoming them.
“They made us uncomfortable in the first half,” Daigneault said. “You never know how a team’s going to play you, so it took us obviously a little bit to calibrate that. It was an impressive show of confidence by our team … to go out there and get that one.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors Updates
RJ Barrett was the top scorer for Toronto with 23 points, while Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, and Dennis Schroder, a former Thunder player, each contributed 19 points. Toronto managed 14 3-pointers on 35 attempts. Key moments included Dort’s critical six points in the second overtime, which included a 3-pointer and a 3-point play that significantly contributed to the Thunder’s lead.
Gilgeous-Alexander, despite not reaching 30 points for the first time in 10 games, tied the game in the first overtime with a 3-pointer and blocked a potential game-winning shot by Gary Trent.
“It was a gutsy win for sure,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “What we brought in the second half was needed. In order to win in a sustainable way requires you to trust each other. The guys that we have in the locker room trust each other, so because of that we were able to win.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors Updates
Wiggins played a pivotal role in sending the game into overtime with a layup after a turnover by Barrett, who then missed a chance to win the game as time ran out.
Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic commended his team’s first-half performance but ultimately, the Thunder’s comeback in the second half, including a significant 17-2 run, showcased their determination.
“Played on the road against a really good team, “ Rajakovic said. “I thought that the first half we did an outstanding job, both on offense and defense.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors Updates
The Thunder were without Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe, both sidelined due to injuries, yet managed to secure the win. Looking ahead, the Raptors are set to face the New Orleans Pelicans, while the Thunder will meet the Utah Jazz in their next matchups.
