Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Turns in All Star Caliber Performance in Win Over Clippers

SGA led the top performers in Oklahoma City's first win of the season.

Oklahoma City notched it’s first win of the 2022-23 season in an exciting 108-94 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Thunder got the best of the short handed Clippers, who were without both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. OKC was nursing its fair share of injuries, too, as both Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams missed Tuesday night’s game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was expected to miss his second straight game on Tuesday, but was a late scratch from the injury list. He didn’t miss a beat, and led the Thunder’s offense to a fast-paced showing with a lot of possessions. Even though the Thunder shot just 38.2% from the floor, they shot the ball 27 more times than the Clippers.

Oklahoma City’s smart approach is what led to the victory on Tuesday. The Thunder committed just five turnovers compared to the Clippers 18, which led to more shot opportunities for OKC.

Here’s who led the way in the Thunder’s first victory of the season:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexander showed no signs of rust after missing the home opener. He continues to reaffirm the front office that he is one of the better players in the association this season.

Tuesday, the aspiring All Star had another massive night, pouring in an impressive 33 points, eight assists and three steals. Gilgeous-Alexander shot an efficient 11-of-22 from the floor last night and 2-of-2 from behind the 3-point line. It was a much needed performance, getting the crowed into the game and bringing life to Oklahoma City.

Tre Mann

Mann was Gilgeous-Alexander’s partner in crime on Tuesday night. The Thunder sophomore had his biggest outing of the young season against the Clippers.

The Florida product totaled 25 points and four assists in 36 minutes of action. He shot 10-of-24 from the field, and Oklahoma City needed every point they could get on the offensive end. It was a strong performance for Mann.

Mike Muscala

Muscala is such a valuable asset off the bench. It’s clear how much of a positive he is on the floor.

Last night he played just 17 minutes, but helped Oklahoma City win the game. The stretch big man played 17 minutes, totaling eight points and ten rebounds while recording a plus-eight on the floor, the only positive plus/minus rating on the bench. He was an efficient 4-of-5 shooting, too.

Oklahoma City takes on the Clippers at home once again on Thursday at 7 p.m.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.