A Deep Dive Into the OKC Thunder's 2023-24 Scorigami Games

Scorigami in sports represents final scores that have never happened before. The Thunder played in five such games last season.

Jan 11, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) gestures to his team after scoring against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Scorigami, originally coined by sports content creator Jon Bois, occurs when two teams combine for a unique final score in their league's history. In that video, Bois explains how NFL scoring rules and playstyle changes over time have made some scores likelier than others. For example, an NFL team finishing with exactly four points remains implausible because one total safety per game is uncommon, let alone two from the same team, let alone that team not scoring on any other possessions.

Unlike American football, basketball rules ensure a wide variety of score combinations due to the simple scoring system: a free throw is worth one point, while 2-point shots and 3-point shots are aptly named. An NBA team taking an early 11-4 lead would not be out of the ordinary, but that final score has never officially transpired in the NFL.

The only force preventing infinite NBA score possibilities is the 48-minute game clock. The league's 30 teams averaged 98.5 possessions per game last season, making 200 points inconceivable and 300 points impossible, at least for human players. The 1983 Pistons needed 136 field-goal attempts, 60 free-throw attempts and three overtimes to score 186 points, which remains the single-game team record.

Low-scoring NBA games, as in single-digit points on either side, are just as unlikely because professional players are simply too good at basketball. On March 10, 2024, the 76ers and Knicks combined for 35.6% on 160 field-goal attempts and 66.7% on 30 free-throw attempts, which still resulted in 152 total points – the lowest mark of the season.

As evidenced by the official NBA Scorigami account, Scorigami games in today's NBA depend on mutual offensive explosions or a significant performance disparity between both teams. The 2023-24 Thunder took part in five Scorigami results, which all occurred for slightly different reasons.

Nov. 3, 2023: Warriors 141, Thunder 139

Scorigami cause: Torrid three-point shooting

This In-Season Tournament affair was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's first missed game of the season, so some outlandish events were always bound to happen. Chet Holmgren scored 24 points on just nine shots and Luguentz Dort went a perfect 6-for-6 from beyond the arc, but Stephen Curry totaled 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to propel a Golden State victory. Dario Šarić scored 20 points, including four triples, in his return to Paycom Center.

Eight total players made multiple 3-pointers. Curry and his partner-in-crime Klay Thompson sunk nine combined threes, rehashing their past performances in front of a scarred Oklahoma City crowd. The Thunder's 15 triples on a 51.7% clip were ultimately not enough to overcome 18 efficient Warriors makes from downtown.

Jan. 11, 2024: Thunder 139, Trail Blazers 77

Scorigami cause: Dominant defense

Many players positively contributed to this 62-point shellacking that became the largest win in Thunder franchise history. Gilgeous-Alexander scored a routine 31 points, making 10 of his 12 2-point attempts. Josh Giddey recorded his first triple-double of the season and a career-high three blocks. Jalen Williams' plus-39 was the lowest among OKC starters. Tre Mann chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three 3-pointers off the bench. Still, Oklahoma City's excellent offense paled compared to how much they stifled Portland for all four quarters.

The Trail Blazers shot a dismal 27.7% from the field, 22.4% from three and 62.5% at the line, resulting in their season-low 77 points. Rookie Scoot Henderson scored a transition dunk and top-of-the-key triple in the game's first 40 seconds but made just two of his final 19 shots. He played 31 minutes and finished with a minus-56, tied for the third-lowest single-game plus-minus in NBA history. Anfernee Simons led Blazers scorers with 14 points on a 47.4 true shooting percentage.

Feb. 10, 2024: Mavericks 146, Thunder 111

Scorigami cause: Trade deadline magic

The Mavericks scored their fourth-most points in a game all year and handed the Thunder their biggest loss of the season immediately after adding P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford on deadline day. Those new additions both came off the bench and scored a combined 33 points on 21 shots. Gafford added nine rebounds, including four offensive boards, in his 17 minutes to make up for an inactive Dereck Lively II. Luka Doncic dropped 32 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, making four of his eight 3-point attempts. Kyrie Irving's 25 points, six rebounds and eight assists largely contributed to his game-high plus-32.

Oklahoma City struggled to keep pace with the red-hot Mavericks all game. Giddey went 3-for-14 from the field, as Dallas opted to leave him wide open on the perimeter. Thunder players not including Gilgeous-Alexander made 12 of their combined 35 2-point attempts. Five Mavericks players finished with game scores above 10, compared to just Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren.

Feb. 23, 2024: Thunder 147, Wizards 106

Scorigami cause: Perfectly balanced offense

Less than two weeks after their humiliating defeat in Dallas, the Thunder accumulated their highest point total all year with a balanced team effort. Seven players finished with double-digit points, led by Gilgeous-Alexander's 30 and Holmgren scoring 25 points on 14 shots. The rookie made all nine of his attempts inside the arc and added 10 rebounds and two blocks. Kenrich Williams went 4-for-6 from downtown, making his most triples in a game since Dec. 15, 2021.

The Wizards suffered their 10th straight loss in what ended up being a 16-game losing streak. Marvin Bagley III grabbed a career-high 10 offensive rebounds, more than the Thunder recorded as a team. Jordan Poole, who checked in as a reserve for his second game in a row, made seven of his 19 shot attempts. Washington sophomore Johnny Davis scored just two points in 22 minutes.

April 14, 2024: Thunder 135, Mavericks 86

Scorigami cause: High stakes versus nonexistent stakes

The Thunder, Timberwolves, and Nuggets, in a race for home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs, entered the regular season's final day with identical 56-25 records. Dallas, on the other hand, had already secured the No. 5 seed and a first-round matchup against the Clippers. So, while Oklahoma City played their whole starting five needing a win, the Mavericks unsurprisingly rested Doncic, Irving, Washington, Lively II, Gafford and Derrick Jones Jr.

The game quickly got out of hand, as the home team established a 17-point lead after the first quarter and led by 41 at halftime. Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 15 points and six assists in just 16 minutes; no Thunder starter played in the second half. Holmgren, in his 82nd game of the season, racked up 13 efficient points and nine rebounds in under 12 minutes. Cason Wallace also played in all 82 and recorded a team-high plus-34 to conclude his rookie season.

The winning team scored at least 135 points in all five games, reflecting the NBA's highest average offensive rating ever. The Thunder, who averaged 120.1 points per game last season, still have plenty of firepower headlined by Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Williams. Expect to see more Scorigami games involving Oklahoma City this year.

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