In a gritty showdown on Wednesday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder, despite being severely short-handed, showcased remarkable tenacity in a 124-116 loss to the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons.
The Thunder were missing key players from their rotation. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, and Ajay Mitchell were all sidelined due to various injuries. To add to their woes, Isaiah Joe exited the game after halftime with a bruised hip, further depleting their lineup.
Yet, the defending champs came out swinging.
Oklahoma City grabbed a 17-16 lead midway through the first quarter, fueled by the energy of their second- and third-string players. Seven different Thunder players contributed to the scoreboard in the opening period, and a 15-2 run closed the quarter with OKC ahead 34-22.
Detroit, however, leveraged its strength inside to counter.
With Oklahoma City lacking its main big men, Jaylin Williams faced the challenge of containing Detroit’s center, Jalen Duren. Duren made his presence felt early, racking up eight points and three rebounds in the first quarter, setting the stage for his dominant performance.
Duren wrapped up the night with 29 points and 15 rebounds, while Cade Cunningham added 29 points and 13 assists, steering Detroit (43-14) to its sixth win in seven games. Duncan Robinson contributed 16 points to the effort.
Despite the setback, the Thunder had standout performances worth highlighting.
Jaylin Williams delivered a career-high 30 points, acting as the Thunder’s offensive linchpin.
“He was unreal tonight,” praised Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “Great toughness, obviously great offense… he was a great hub for us again tonight.”
Cason Wallace chipped in with 23 points, and Oklahoma City leaned heavily on their three-point shooting, going 18-for-49 from beyond the arc. This perimeter prowess fueled a late-game surge.
The Thunder narrowed the gap to 108-105 with just over five minutes left, thanks to an 11-2 run. But Detroit responded. Javonte Green hit a crucial three-pointer after the Pistons secured four offensive rebounds in a single possession, helping them regain momentum.
Coach Daigneault commended his team’s determination despite the depleted roster.
“Really happy with the compete level and the resilience,” Daigneault remarked. “The guys that played tonight laid it on the line.”
Oklahoma City’s record fell to 45-15, following a streak of five wins in their previous six outings.