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Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder get back on track routing Philadelphia 76ers
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- Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder get back on track routing Philadelphia 76ers
There has been a lot of outside noise surrounding the OKC Thunder during the past few days.
That happens when a team that doesn't lose games starts to lose games. Four out of its last six, to be exact.
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But on Sunday afternoon, the only noise that could be heard came from a packed Paycom Center crowd, which had plenty of reason to celebrate during OKC's 129-104 win over the Philadelphia 76ers .
Chet Holmgren led the bounce-back performance with 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also recorded 27 points and five assists for the Thunder (27-5).
Here are three takeaways from the win:
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Tyrese Maxey was everywhere
There was no buckling of a seatbelt. No revving of an engine. No acceleration lag.
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Cason Wallace didn't receive any time to prepare when Tyrese Maxey put pedal to the metal early in the first quarter. And before he knew it, the speedy star had left him in the rearview mirror.
A pair of dribbles was all it took for the red-white-and-blue blur to go from the 3-point line to the rim. And once he reached his destination, Maxey parked the ball between the strings of the net for an easy layup.
Maxey placed his elite speed on display from the opening tipoff, as he raced out of the starting line. He scored 15 first-quarter points, all while dusting an elite group of Thunder perimeter defenders that struggled to stay in front of him.
Maxey finished with 28 points, five assists and four steals in 36 minutes. He shot 10 for 18 from the field (55.6%).
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It's another strong performance by the sixth-year guard, who entered Sunday with career-high averages of 30.8 points and seven assists. Maxey also leads the NBA in average distance traveled per game at 2.8 miles, proving just how much ground he covers.
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Chet Holmgren is a heavyweight in his own right
Chet Holmgren vs. Andre Drummond .
It's a matchup that would never be sanctioned by the World Boxing Association. Not since Drummond weighs in at 279 pounds, giving him a whopping 71-pound edge over the 208-pound Holmgren.
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But all is fair in the NBA, and Drummond made sure to throw his extra weight around Sunday. The big man, who feasts on a diet of paint touches and rebounds, gathered a pass down low midway through the first quarter and immediately tried to back down Holmgren.
But what Drummond didn't know is that Holmgren, a featherweight forward at first glance, is a heavyweight in his own right. A 7-foot-1 star who's in the elite class of shot blockers. And he showed his paint-protecting prowess by rejecting Drummond's dunk attempt.
Holmgren continued to dominate down low throughout the game. He helped hold Philadelphia to 34 points in the paint compared to OKC's 72 points, and he recorded four blocks in the process.
"They always have their different challenges and their different advantages," Holmgren said of facing larger opponents. "It's just trying to play to your own advantages, be smart and never get frustrated. Basketball is a this-way-that-way game. Sometimes it's going to go your way, and sometimes it's not. Just continue to trust that, over the course of a game, doing stuff with the right intention will leave you in a good spot."
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OKC got back on track the only way it knows how
Lu Dort held his hands out all the way to his sides as he stood near the 3-point line.
But those open arms were far from friendly. They were ready to wrap up Paul George , who attempted to drive past the All-Defensive first-team guard midway through the third quarter.
George then elevated for a mid-range jumper only to feel the ball get ripped away by Dort , who swiped down with elite precision. That sparked an OKC fastbreak, which Gilgeous-Alexander capped off with a bucket on the other end.
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After holding a slim 64-62 lead at halftime, the Thunder pulled away in the third quarter. And it did so the only way it knows how: By leaning on its defense.
OKC held Philadelphia to 8-for-20 shooting (40%) in the quarter and forced eight turnovers in the process. It then capitalized by converting those miscues into points of its own.
OKC outscored Philadelphia 38-24 in the third quarter, and it never looked back en route to the win. It finished with 23 turnovers forced, which led to 31 points.
"We really cranked up the pressure and did so with discipline," Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. "It wasn't reckless. I thought we really tuned up there and did a really good job of making everything hard on them. And it led to some offensive rhythm for us."
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Tip-ins
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Ajay Mitchell returned after missing the last two games due to concussion protocol. He finished with 13 points and three assists in 20 minutes.
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Isaiah Joe did not play in the second half due to neck soreness. Isaiah Hartenstein also exited the game late in the third quarter and didn't return. An update was not provided for the big man.
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OKC was without Ousmane Dieng (right calf strain), Thomas Sorber (right ACL surgery recovery), Nikola Topić (surgery recovery) and Jaylin Williams (right heel bursitis).
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 103 straight games. It's the second-longest streak in NBA history, only trailing Wilt Chamberlain (126).
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com .
Thunder vs. Hawks
TIPOFF:7 p.m. Monday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City (FanDuel Sports Network)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder get back on track routing 76ers
