Three Takeaways From OKC Thunder's Routing of Sacramento Kings

The Oklahoma City Thunder won big over the Sacramento Kings thanks to some key performances from its top stars.

Nov 25, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) fight for position under the basket during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder hadn't won inside Golden 1 Center since Jan. 29, 2020, before Monday night's matchup began, but things changed this time around.

Thanks in large part to a 34-22 difference in the third quarter, the Thunder were able to hold on to a win over the Sacramento Kings in a 130-109 finish. Behind big performances from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams along with a key lineup change, it was able to do it convincingly, too.

Oklahoma City has now strung together a couple of wins in a row after back-to-back losses to the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, building back up some lost momentum.

Here are three takeaways from the 21-point victory:

Shai Lights it Up

Well, that's a performance to give some credit back to an MVP case.

Against the Kings, Gilgeous-Alexander had one of his finest games of the season thus far with 37 points, four rebounds, 11 assists on 13-of-30 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 shooting from behind the arc. Six turnovers and 7-of-11 shooting at the charity stripe were less than ideal, but it didn't take away from an elite performance.

As far as efficient scorers go across the league, Gilgeous-Alexander ranks among the best. He attacked Sacramento in every facet of the game, whether it be at the rim, spotting up in the mid-range or taking 3-pointers.

Gilgeous-Alexander didn't exactly start the year hot in the 3-point department, but he has started to heat up since Chet Holmgren went down with a hip injury, shooting a 19-of-41 clip. The Thunder certainly needed that.

It's not a surprise when Gilgeous-Alexander leads the way for Oklahoma City, but it never isn't pleasant to see.

Hartenstein Starts

In his first game as the Thunder's starting center, Isaiah Hartenstein did everything but disappoint.

In 32 minutes, Hartenstein finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. Between that and his debut against the Portland Trail Blazers, he's recorded a double-double in both appearances.

It was a struggle without Holmgren for Oklahoma City to have some semblance of a rebounding game, but Hartenstein has quickly made an impact there. It won the rebounding battle 44-31. Once both centers finally play together, it'll be tough for any team to stand a chance there.

Hartenstein's screening was also crucial for Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams during the game, allowing both them and himself easy looks at the basket.

Bloody face and all from an eye-poke at the hands of Domantas Sabonis, it was another strong display for what Hartenstein is going to bring for the Thunder throughout the season.

Threes and More Threes

There wasn't just thunder in Golden 1 Center, there was heaping amounts of rain.

Oklahoma City shot 14-of-31 from 3-point range on the night, a 45% clip. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with four of his own, while Williams and Isaiah Joe each added three respectively. The trio did most of the damage, although Kenrich Williams' 2-of-2 shooting certainly helped as well.

Comparing that to the Kings' 8-of-32 shooting from behind the arc, it's clear that the tale of the tape came down to 3-point shooting. The Thunder were on fire from the get-go, while Sacramento struggled to ever gain much success.

Keegan Murray's 2-of-8 shooting and Malik Monk's 2-of-7 shooting definitely didn't help the situation for the Kings.

Oklahoma City only ranks 20th in the NBA in 3-point percentage (34.4%), but its performance Monday night could help get back on track to where it was during the 2023-24 season. Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso in particular have disappointed from that area, but the former didn't attempt one during the game and the latter is out with an injury.

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