3 Observations From Blazers' Win Over SGA and the Thunder

For the consecutive night, the Portland Trail Blazers conquered the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Nov 10, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson drives to the basket past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Bennett Stirtz during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PORTLAND — Deni Avdija exploded for 28 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-108. The victory was Portland's second consecutive win in consecutive nights against the Thunder.

Jrue Holiday and Sidy Cissoko scored 19 points apiece. Damian Lillard added 18 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Toumani Camara added 14 points.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with a game-high 31 points, shooting 9-for-20 from the field, 0-for-7 from the arc and 13-for-14 from the free throw line.

Portland finished 45.7 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from three and 96.2 percent from the charity stripe. The Thunder were held to 42 percent shooting overall and a lousy 30.6 percent clip from the arc.

"Tonight, at the beginning of the game, they were a little more physical and they sped us up and we turned the ball over way too much," Portland head coach Micah Nori said. "I liked that the last two games, the fourth quarter, we've found our defense."

A battle between two of the Western Conference's best teams delivered plenty of thrills and moments worth chewing on. Here are three observations from Portland's emphatic victory.

Second-quarter surge

Nov 10, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Sidy Cissoko reacts after being fouled by Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Enrich Williams during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Portland continues to prove itself as one of the best offenses in the second quarter. The Blazers have been great in the period all season, sitting second in the NBA in second-quarter offensive rating (130.1) behind the San Antonio Spurs. The Thunder, meanwhile, have the second-best defensive rating (94.2) in the period.

But it didn't matter. Portland shot 50 percent from the field (10-for-20) and 40 percent (4-for-10) from 3-point range, sinking 4-of-5 free throws. And while the Blazers were scorching, the Thunder failed to transfer the success they achieved in the first period.

"I think it's more our depth," Nori said when offering a reason for the Blazers' second-quarter success. "Not taking anything away from OKC and their talent — Shai pretty much plays the whole quarter. A lot of these teams, like the Luka's, play the whole quarter. And when people have to go to their bench, I really truly believe, even with our injuries, our strength is our bench. And I think that's where we're able to get some separation. We don't have a lot of drop-off across the board, and when we're fully healthy we'll have almost no dropoff."

Shooting 50 percent in the first quarter — 40 percent from three — Oklahoma City's efficiency plummeted the remainder of the half. The Thunder shot an ugly 24 percent overall and 18.2 percent from three, with Gilgeous-Alexander, in particular, held to four points on 1-for-7 shooting.

Branden Carlson minutes

Nov 10, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers center Branden Carlson blocks Oklahoma City Thunder guard Bennett Stirtz during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Averaging just under eight minutes per game this season, and appearing in just five of the 10 previous contests, Branden Carlson saw 10 minutes of action against the Thunder.

He scored zero points and grabbed just one rebound, but finished +3 on the night. Carlson logged minutes in the first, second and fourth quarters — he was +5 in the first quarter, +3 in the second quarter and -5 in the fourth quarter. He shot one corner 3-pointer off a drive-and-kick, a look that Nori said he had "no problem" with.

Carlson shared his floor time with either Williams or Clingan, his integration serving as an attempt at a double-big lineup. The results were mixed.

"We just wanted to give it a look because they were going double-dig, and just felt that we could see if (we could match) up with them," Nori said. "We had some foul trouble as well. … I thought Branden — both nights — has given us some good minutes."

Dame time

Nov 10, 2026: Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard reacts after making a three-point shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another game against the Thunder, another night of Dame time. In the first matchup, Lillard's outburst occurred in the third quarter. This time, the NBA Top-75 player electrified in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, receiving "MVP" chants during a trip at the free throw line with one minute left.

Lillard scored nine points in the frame and went +12. He and Avdija thrilled in the final minutes, taking turns either driving relentlessly to the rim or hitting demoralizing deep balls. Or even coming up with massive defensive stops.

Between Lillard and Avdija, who scored a team-high 11 points in the period, the Blazers pulled away, the result never in question by the final string of possessions.

"Obviously the closing of games, that's what this team struggled with last year," Nori said. "But that's where the effect of Dame time… Deni getting better in those situations, and the calming effect of Jrue, and, obviously, Toumani's defense (helps us close games)."

Portland moves to 8-3 on the season. The Blazers now embark on a six-game road trip, starting off with a date against the Sacramento Kings.