Thunder clinch first playoff spot since 2020, beat Knicks
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Thunder clinch first playoff spot since 2020, beat Knicks on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s jumper
Josh Giddey had 16 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for Oklahoma City, which moved back into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference at 52-22 with its second straight win
Updated: 8:00 AM CDT Apr 1, 2024
LATEST FIRST ALERT FORECAST. EVERYBODY WELCOME INTO THE SHOW TONIGHT I’M BRIAN KEATING. HE IS MARK ROGERS. IT IS TIME TIME CRASHING THE BOARDS ON A THUNDER PLAYOFF NIGHTMARE. YEAH THE THUNDER WHAT A GAME TONIGHT I TELL YOU WHAT. THEY’VE HAD SOME REALLY EXCITING GAMES THE LAST THREE THAT THEY’VE PLAYED. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DIDN’T WIN AGAINST HOUSTON. THEY BLEW OUT THE SUNS ON FRIDAY NIGHT. I WAS AT THAT GAME AND THEY PLAYED REALLY WELL. AND THEN TONIGHT JUST BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH WITH THE GOOD KNICKS TEAM AND FINALLY WIN. IT DIDN’T LOOK LIKE THAT FOR A LONG TIME. ROLL THE HIGHLIGHTS AS THEY WERE IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. YOU HAD THUNDER KNICKS AND UH YOU KNOW I THOUGHT FOR A WHILE IT KIND OF LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD THAT, WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE THE NYC FLU. YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT HAVE STAYED UP A LITTLE TOO LATE IN THE BIG CITY LAST NIGHT. THEY DID HAVE A FOUR POINT LEAD AT HALFTIME SOMEHOW DIDN’T PLAY GREAT. JALEN WILLIAMS MY GOODNESS MAN HE IS JUST UH HE’S A HECK OF A1B MAN. THUNDER WERE UP ONE ABOUT 12 SECONDS TO GO. AND IT’S THE GUY YOU JUST DIDN’T WANT IT WITH THE BALL IN HIS HANDS FOR THE KNICKS. JALEN BRUNSON I THINK HE COULD HAVE HAD AN AND ONE THAT DIDN’T CALL IT. SO THE KNICKS WERE UP ONE FOR SECONDS TO GO. YOU KNOW WHO THEY’RE LOOKING FOR. THEY’RE LOOKING FOR SHEA. OF COURSE IT’S SHEA AND SHEA. SO THE THUNDER ARE GOING TO WIN THIS THING. 113 112. THEY CLINCHED THE PLAYOFF SPOT BECAUSE THAT FELLA HAS ICE IN HIS VEINS. COCO GAUFF A REALLY GOOD PLAY. UH, WE’VE GONE TO IT BEFORE SO WE ALL KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. I TRIED TO JUST GET DOUBLE OPEN AND I KNEW IF I SCREENED HARD ENOUGH, I’D BE ABLE TO GET A CRACK, GET A CATCH AND GET A SHOT OFF THAT I’VE SHOT MANY TIMES. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT’S A GUY I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS WE’RE GOING TO HIM FOR THE GAME. UM, WHETHER HE HAS TWO POINTS OR 50 POINTS, HE’S GETTING THE BALL AND WE ALL TRUST HIM TO MAKE THAT PLAY. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HE’S A SUPERSTAR IN THIS LEAGUE AND THE OTHER TYPE OF PLAYS, YOU KNOW, HE MAKES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE BALL IN HIS HANDS IN THAT SITUATION. WELL, IT’S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR SHEA. AND I THINK MAYBE HE’S FALLEN FAR. YOU KNOW, A LITTLE TOO FAR BEHIND NIKOLA. JOKIC PROBABLY FOR THE MVP. BUT THAT IS AN MVP KIND OF SHOT. HE DID IT IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO WIN THE MVP. I JUST THOUGHT YOU KNOW THEY DIDN’T PLAY THEIR BEST AND FOUND A WAY TO WIN. GIDDY WENT SHOPPING IN NEW YORK I DON’T KNOW THOSE LOOK LIKE REALLY HIGH DOLLAR PAJAMAS THAT HE HAD ON. YOU GOT SOME OF THOSE? NO THAT’S NOT YOUR THAT’S NOT YOUR CLOSET. I CAN’T AFFORD IT. THAT LOOKS GOOD ON HIM, THOUGH. UH, YOU KNOW, THE SGA HAS BEEN STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT. I THINK THAT THE LEG IS BOTHERING HIM SOME, BUT REALLY, THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR OKLAHOMA CITY IS THAT JOSH GIDDEY IS PLAYING INCREDIBLE RIGHT NOW. SO, UM, HE’S ABLE TO HANDLE SOME ON THE BALL, TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF A PRESSURE OFF SGA. WELL, YOU WENT RIGHT WHERE I WAS GOING. I WENT THE, UH, MADISON SQUARE GIDDY BECAUSE, UH, JOSH GIDDEY HAD A TRIPLE DOUBLE TONIGHT. MARK. HE BECOMES THE FIRST PLAYER IN NBA HISTORY TO RECORD A TRIPLE DOUBLE IN HIS FIRST THREE TRIPS TO MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. THEY’VE BEEN PLAYING BASKETBALL IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, A LONG, LONG TIME. HE BECOMES THE FIRST PLAYER IN NBA HISTORY TO GET A TRIPLE DOUBLE IN ALL THREE OF THOSE GAMES. IT’S HIS 10TH TRIPLE DOUBLE OF HIS CAREER. HE’S NOW 128 BEHIND RUSSELL WESTBROOK FOR THUNDER. ALL TIME. I SAID J DUB JAZZ IS A J DUB. YEAH IT WAS YEAH J-DUB PLAYED GREAT AT THE START OF THE SECOND QUARTER WHEN THE THUNDER WERE KIND OF BEHIND IN THE GAME, SO HE TOOK OVER. HE HAD A REALLY GOOD WHEN THEY WERE STRUGGLING TO HIT OUTSIDE SHOTS. HE HIT SOME TOUGH SHOTS. HE THREW DOWN THAT GREAT DUNK. AND SO UM AGAIN IT’S UH IT’S IMPRESSIVE OKLAHOMA CITY RIGHT RIGHT NOW IS PLAYING. THEY’RE PLAYING PRETTY GOOD. THEY’RE PLAYING. SO HERE’S THE THING. AND I THINK WHAT WHAT WHAT TAKES THEM TO ANOTHER LEVEL. AND YOU BROUGHT IT UP FIRST WAS JOSH GIDDEY THE WAY THAT HE HAS PLAYED OVER THE LAST MONTH. SO YOU GO BACK TO THE ALL STAR BREAK SINCE THE ALL STAR BREAK, HE’S ABOUT 14 POINTS SHOOTING 38% FROM THREE. AND IN MARCH, 16 POINTS, 40% FROM THREE. NOW, I DON’T THINK YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GO TO JOSH GUINEAS. HEY, JOSH FIRED UP, YOU KNOW, SIX, SEVEN TIMES A GAME. BUT HE HAS MADE SHOTS WHEN HE’S NEEDED TO AND JUST HE HAS BEEN AN EXTRA COG WITH SGA AND WILLIAMS. AND WE HAVEN’T EVEN MENTIONED CHET. CHET WASN’T GREAT AND HADN’T BEEN CHET OR HADN’T BEEN GREAT THE LAST COUPLE OF GAMES, BUT BUT JOSH GIDDEY, IF HE CAN, I MEAN, IF HE CAN DO THAT, EVERYBODY STOPS TALKING ABOUT, WELL, WE GOT TO TRADE JOSH GIDDEY FOR ANOTHER GUY. I MEAN, HE’S HE’S ONE OF THEIR CORNERSTONES. YEAH, IT’S INTERESTING. I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DO IN ORDER TO PAY THIS TEAM GOING FORWARD TO EXTEND EVERYBODY BECAUSE YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS. THERE. BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT GIDDEY, UH, CAN TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF OF SGA BY HANDLING THE BASKETBALL. PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HIS DEFICIENCIES OR THEY HAVE AND THOSE HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS. HE LOST HIS CONFIDENCE, BUT HE’S AN INCREDIBLE REBOUNDER. AND THAT’S MAYBE THE THUNDER’S BIGGEST WEAKNESS. SO GIDDEY IS GOING TO NEED TO BE ON THE FLOOR IN THE PLAYOFFS FOR OKLAHOMA CITY TO HAVE SOME SUCCESS AND HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN, ESPECIALLY AGAINST BIGGER TEAMS. SO I THINK THINK YOU’RE GOING TO STILL SEE A LOT FROM JOSH GIDDEY PUT UP THE STANDINGS. YOU KNOW WHERE THE THUNDER ARE TONIGHT AS WE SIT HERE TONIGHT. MARK THEY ARE IN FIRST PLACE IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE WITH EIGHT GAMES TO GO WHICH IS A REMARKABLE THING FOR ME TO SAY BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE MUCH BETTER. I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE A PLAYOFF TEAM. AT NO POINT DID I IMAGINE THAT WE’D BE SITTING HERE. IT’S MARCH TOMORROW AND UM, OR IT’S APRIL TOMORROW. I’M SORRY, IT’S APRIL TOMORROW, MARCH TODAY. AND THAT THE THUNDER WOULD BE IN FIRST PLACE IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE. SO I’LL LET YOU SHOOT THIS FIRST. I MEAN, HOW DO YOU SEE THIS PLAYING OUT? WHERE IS THIS TEAM? IS THERE ANYBODY YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE IN THE PLAYOFFS? UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW A PLAYOFF TEAM AND THAT IS SECURE. WELL, I’LL TO KEEP IT SIMPLE HERE. 123. I GOT THE ONE. I GOT THE THUNDER ONE I GOT THE THUNDER IS THE ONE. I HOPE YOU’RE RIGHT. SO MINNESOTA LOST TONIGHT TO CHICAGO. THAT WAS A SURPRISE. DENVER HAS GOT AN EASY SCHEDULE. UH, OKLAHOMA CITY SCHEDULE IS PRETTY TOUGH. I THINK THE THUNDER DOWN THE STRETCH CAN GET TO 58 WINS. UH, RIGHT NOW THEY THEY’VE GOT 52. SO TO DO THAT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO SIX AND TWO. THE REST OF THE WAY. AFTER THEY GET OFF THIS TRIP THEY CAN COME BACK FOR FOUR GAMES AT HOME. MILWAUKEE IS KIND OF SETTING WHERE I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO BE. DALLAS IS INTERESTING. THEY’RE PLAYING GREAT, BUT THEY MAY NOT EVEN NEED TO PLAY OR WIN AT THAT POINT IN TIME. SO I THINK THE THE WAY THAT THE SCHEDULE BREAKS IS GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TO OKLAHOMA CITY. I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO TIE WITH DENVER. AND I THINK THAT THEY’VE GOT THE TIEBREAKER. THEY GOT THE TIEBREAKER. I WE CAN’T TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED. HALF A HUNDRED MAN. THIS IS IN IN STATE OF OKLAHOMA. YOU SAY HALF 100. THEY GOT 50 WINS. AND LET’S NOT TAKE TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED. IT IS HARD TO GET TO 50 WINS. AND YOU KNOW YOU SAID 58. THEY GOT TO 58 WINS. I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE THE SECOND MOST WINS IN THUNDER FRANCHISE HISTORY. WHICH IS CRAZY BECAUSE AS THE THUNDER’S HEAD TO KEVIN AND RUSSELL AND JAMES AND BEEN TO THE FINALS AND THIS TEAM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO 58 WINS, MARK. YEAH, I THINK IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER OVER THE NEXT. WELL, YEAH. SO IT’S BEEN IT’S BEEN A GREAT YEAR. IT’S BEEN A GREAT YEAR. 12TH TIME IN THE POSTSEASON, 11TH TIME IN THE PLAYOFFS. AND AND UH A LOT TO SHOOT FOR AS WE GO TO BREAK HERE. PUT UP THE SCHEDULE FOR OKLAHOMA CITY. AND WE MENTIONED THE ROAD TRIP. THE ROAD TRIP IS SIXERS AND CELTICS PACERS. ALL THREE OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT. AND THEN THEY COME BACK HOME. UH, FINALLY FOR THE SACRAMENTO KINGS AS WE CLOSE OUT, GET CLOSE TO THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON, THUNDER CLINCH A PLAYOFF SPOT TONIGHT. STAY WITH US ON CRASHING THE BOARDS.
Thunder clinch first playoff spot since 2020, beat Knicks on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s jumper
Josh Giddey had 16 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for Oklahoma City, which moved back into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference at 52-22 with its second straight win
Updated: 8:00 AM CDT Apr 1, 2024
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the go-ahead jumper from the corner with 2.6 seconds left, sending the Oklahoma City Thunder to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 with a 113-112 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday night.Josh Giddey had 16 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for Oklahoma City, which moved back into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference at 52-22 with its second straight win.| LAST TIME OUT | Josh Giddey scores 23 points, Thunder rout Suns 128-103 without Gilgeous-Alexander“Great accomplishment for the organization,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I couldn’t be happier for the team and for the organization. And now we’ve got to continue to sharpen our blade down the stretch here (to) prepare ourselves.”It was Giddey’s third career triple-double — all against the Knicks. He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, when the Thunder outscored the Knicks 38-27.“It’s the most famous arena in the world,” Giddey said. “It’s a special place to play. (Whether) triple-doubles happen or not, I just try to go out there, play the right way, play the game how it should be played and those things kind of just happen. It’s a fun place to play.”Jalen Williams led all scorers with 33 points and Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 19.Jalen Brunson scored 30 points but missed the potential winning jumper in another tough loss for the Knicks, who fell in overtime Friday in San Antonio. Deuce McBride added 19 and Donte DiVincenzo scored 15.>> Download the KOCO 5 AppWith the Knicks trailing 111-110 with 18 seconds left, Brunson converted a layup to give the Knicks the lead. After a timeout, Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down a turnaround mid-range jumper over McBride before Brunson missed a 16-footer at the buzzer.Isaiah Hartenstein had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, while Josh Hart added 13 points and 15 rebounds.“It hurts,” Hartenstein said of New York’s back-to-back losses. “We’ve (had) two games where we had great shots. That’s kind of the more disappointing thing.”Trailing 50-46, New York opened the third quarter with a 14-5 run. Brunson scored eight points in the spurt, and McBride and DiVincenzo each drilled a 3.New York extended its lead to 75-65 after DiVincenzo’s 3 with 5:24 remaining in the quarter. McBride’s layup with 2:54 left capped a pretty passing sequence to extend the advantage to 12.In all, New York outscored Oklahoma City 39-25 in the period to take an 85-75 lead.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.The Thunder responded with a 15-5 spurt in the first 2:41 of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 90-all. The run was capped by Giddey’s floater.The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the game. Brunson tied it 104 with a 3, but Williams’ 3 allowed the Thunder to regain the lead.Gilgeous-Alexander returned to the lineup after sitting out Oklahoma City’s previous two games with a left quadriceps contusion. New York remained without Julius Randle (dislocated right shoulder), OG Anunoby (right elbow injury management), and Mitchell Robinson (sprained left ankle).“I felt like I was ready,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “If I didn’t feel so I wouldn’t be out there. Didn’t have my best game, clearly. But yeah, I felt pretty good.”Top HeadlinesTIMELINE: Severe storms bring risk of large hail, tornadoes to Oklahoma on MondaySunday’s March Madness Elite Eight recapGov. Stitt signs changes to Oklahoma hunting, fishing licensesOklahoma researchers test if Vitamin B supplement can prevent cognitive declines1 teenager dies, 3 others injured in single-vehicle crash near Fairview
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the go-ahead jumper from the corner with 2.6 seconds left, sending the Oklahoma City Thunder to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 with a 113-112 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday night.
Josh Giddey had 16 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for Oklahoma City, which moved back into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference at 52-22 with its second straight win.
| LAST TIME OUT | Josh Giddey scores 23 points, Thunder rout Suns 128-103 without Gilgeous-Alexander
“Great accomplishment for the organization,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I couldn’t be happier for the team and for the organization. And now we’ve got to continue to sharpen our blade down the stretch here (to) prepare ourselves.”
It was Giddey’s third career triple-double — all against the Knicks. He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, when the Thunder outscored the Knicks 38-27.
“It’s the most famous arena in the world,” Giddey said. “It’s a special place to play. (Whether) triple-doubles happen or not, I just try to go out there, play the right way, play the game how it should be played and those things kind of just happen. It’s a fun place to play.”
Jalen Williams led all scorers with 33 points and Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 19.
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points but missed the potential winning jumper in another tough loss for the Knicks, who fell in overtime Friday in San Antonio. Deuce McBride added 19 and Donte DiVincenzo scored 15.
With the Knicks trailing 111-110 with 18 seconds left, Brunson converted a layup to give the Knicks the lead. After a timeout, Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down a turnaround mid-range jumper over McBride before Brunson missed a 16-footer at the buzzer.
Isaiah Hartenstein had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, while Josh Hart added 13 points and 15 rebounds.
“It hurts,” Hartenstein said of New York’s back-to-back losses. “We’ve (had) two games where we had great shots. That’s kind of the more disappointing thing.”
Trailing 50-46, New York opened the third quarter with a 14-5 run. Brunson scored eight points in the spurt, and McBride and DiVincenzo each drilled a 3.
New York extended its lead to 75-65 after DiVincenzo’s 3 with 5:24 remaining in the quarter. McBride’s layup with 2:54 left capped a pretty passing sequence to extend the advantage to 12.
In all, New York outscored Oklahoma City 39-25 in the period to take an 85-75 lead.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
The Thunder responded with a 15-5 spurt in the first 2:41 of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 90-all. The run was capped by Giddey’s floater.
The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the game. Brunson tied it 104 with a 3, but Williams’ 3 allowed the Thunder to regain the lead.
Gilgeous-Alexander returned to the lineup after sitting out Oklahoma City’s previous two games with a left quadriceps contusion. New York remained without Julius Randle (dislocated right shoulder), OG Anunoby (right elbow injury management), and Mitchell Robinson (sprained left ankle).
“I felt like I was ready,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “If I didn’t feel so I wouldn’t be out there. Didn’t have my best game, clearly. But yeah, I felt pretty good.”
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