3 Takeaways From Another Big OKC Thunder Win vs. Charlotte

The Thunder dominated from start to finish for yet another blowout victory.

Mar 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) passes the ball during a play against Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City continued its winning ways against another lottery team.

The Thunder beat the Charlotte Hornets 141-106 on Friday night at Paycom Center to mark their fifth straight win and improve to 58-12. Already having clinched the No. 1 seed in the West, the Thunder have also gained a bit of separation for the league’s top record after the Cleveland Cavaliers suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Friday.

As the Thunder look to continue their dominance, performances like Friday’s are a great blueprint to follow. Charlotte never led, and Oklahoma City outperformed its opponent in a number of areas. The Thunder won the turnover battle 16-7, won the rebounding battle 43-29 and outscored Charlotte 64-26 in the paint.

Let’s dive into three lessons that can be learned from yesterday’s game.

Mar 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) shoots a three point basket against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

OKC can flip a switch

While no one on the Thunder would admit it, they have an ability to turn it on for a small stretch and wreak havoc on an opponent. Entering halftime, the Thunder began to let go of the rope a little bit, and that continued into the third quarter, with the Hornets cutting the deficit to 75-65 and prompting a Mark Daigneault timeout.

The Thunder put the game away over the next few minutes by rattling off an 18-0 run out of the timeout. That stretch featured three buckets each from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Hartenstein, plus a make from Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace.

With so many weapons on the floor, even on a shorthanded night, the Thunder had no issues turning up the intensity defensively and turning it into offense. 

Jaylin Williams might be playing his way into the playoff rotation 

The Thunder’s big man rotation for the playoffs has seemed quite straightforward for most of the season. It would consist of small stretches with Holmgren and Hartenstein sharing the floor, with the two staggering the rest of the non-small-ball minutes. 

However, Daigneault might have no choice but to throw Jaylin Williams into the mix as well. Over the past few weeks, Williams has emerged as a legitimate option and shown his versatility. From putting up triple-doubles on nights when the Thunder are missing their top players to tallying 14 points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench on Friday.

With his new favorite weapon being the no-dip 3-pointer, Williams has fittingly increased his outside efficiency in recent weeks, shooting 16-of-31 from deep over his past eight games. Add in his ability to play alongside Holmgren seamlessly, and the Thunder could soon be getting playoff contributions from the fan favorite.

SGA’s playmaking leap continues 

Over the past few weeks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has not only solidified his MVP case but also shown his ability to set up his teammates. Since the start of February, Gilgeous-Alexander has had at least five assists in all but one of his 22 appearances. 

While it might not seem like a crazy stretch, he had 14 such games in his first 45 tries. On Friday night, he scored 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting but also added nine assists, which ties his third-most this season. Although he hasn’t hit the 10-assist mark since the start of February, he has consistently hit the five-assist mark and raised his floor in that aspect, which could be massive come playoff time.

Nine-assist performances like Friday haven’t necessarily been a rarity for the MVP favorite, but over the past few weeks, nights with only two or three assists have become rare. Considering Gilgeous-Alexander will need his teammates to step up in the postseason, particularly when opponents force the ball out of his hands, finding this balance over the final months of the regular season is a perfect formula for success.

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Last season, it seemed the Thunder found new ways to win all the time with such a young group. While they have continued to find different ways to win this season, those victories are often coming by margins like Friday’s, which just shows how dominant the team has become in a short amount of time. 

As the Thunder look to continue their quest for the league’s top record, they will head out for a two-game road trip to face the LA Clippers and Sacramento Kings.

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