OKC Thunder Offense More Dangerous Than Ever

The Thunder racked up 141 points while converting 21 threes against the Hornets. Eight players scored double-digit points while five ended up with four or more assists.

Mar 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (left) shoots a 3-point basket as Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (right) contests the shot during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder allowing 106 points, forcing 16 turnovers, nabbing 10 steals and blocking seven shots against the battered Charlotte Hornets Friday night fell right in line with its season averages on the defensive end.

What was astonishing, however, was Oklahoma City's 48-minute offense. It scored 30 or more points in all four quarters, including 38 in the final frame without leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder shot 21-for-39 (53.8%) on 3-pointers, made 33 of 55 twos and recorded more offensive rebounds (10) than turnovers (9) for the 29th time this season.

Eight players scored double-digit points, topped by Gilgeous-Alexander's 30 points on 13-for-18 shooting, as the Thunder finished with its third-most points (141) in any 2024-25 game. Oklahoma City scored 63 bench points, and all 13 players who checked in made at least one field goal.

"Everybody's happy to be out there playing," Jaylin Williams said postgame. "You have a bunch of guys on one team that love competing. When we go out there and compete, we have fun, it's gonna look like that — a bunch of guys scoring points."

Charlotte did not play starters LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller or Mark Williams, which largely prevented them from creating reliable offense inside the 3-point line — they scored 26 paint points to the Thunder's 64. Six Hornets players made multiple triples, keeping the game within 10 points until Oklahoma City went on an 18-0 third-quarter run to seal the deal.

However, the Thunder played without All-Star Jalen Williams for the fifth straight game and Luguentz Dort for the third straight contest — winning each of them. This season, Oklahoma City is undefeated without Williams (9-0) and Dort (8-0) while producing consistent success without Cason Wallace (9-1), Alex Caruso (20-4), Chet Holmgren (38-8), Isaiah Hartenstein (16-6) and Isaiah Joe (5-2). It has even won two of three games without Gilgeous-Alexander.

"I think the thing that is the best signal to us is the fact that no matter who we're putting on the court, we look the same on both ends of the floor," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "We're playing to a certain standard and playing a certain way. And that's with different lineups, but it's also with guys being out."

The Thunder has climbed to the No. 2 offensive rating (120.2) and No. 6 3-point percentage (37.0%) while sustaining the No. 1 defensive rating (107.2). The team has outscored opponents by 13.1 points per game — currently the highest mark in league history.

Oklahoma City (58-12) has clinched the Western Conference's No. 1 seed with over three weeks to spare, but it is not taking the remaining 12 games for granted.

"It's an ambitious locker room, but you can only play the games right in front of you," Daigneault said. "You're gonna come out of every game a little better or a little worse, and the challenge is to get a little better every night. And I think we're better after tonight's game."

The Thunder plays the LA Clippers in Intuit Dome tomorrow at 8 p.m. CST.

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