The Oklahoma City Thunder’s present and future meet the team’s past Thursday night when the Los Angeles Clippers pay a visit.
In July 2019, the Thunder kicked up their dismantling by trading Paul George to the Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and a bevy of draft picks. The draft haul stretches into the next three years and already has produced Jalen Williams.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and rookie Chet Holmgren have the Thunder flying high, as they are tied for second place in the Western Conference.
George is a big reason why the Clippers are the league’s hottest team, entering play Thursday with nine consecutive victories.
The winning streak, which the Clippers extended with a 120-111 decision in Dallas on Wednesday night, is the team’s longest since a 10-game stretch in the 2015-16 season.
George, though, missed the Wednesday game due to an illness, and his status for the Thursday game was unclear.
During the winning streak, George is averaging 21.6 points and shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 44.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.
Prior to the streak, George was shooting 44.2 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, so while his scoring production has gone down slightly — he was averaging 23.4 points previously — his efficiency has increased, especially from long distance.
George spent two seasons in Oklahoma City, helping keep the Thunder afloat after Kevin Durant’s departure.
The trade of George was followed less than a week later by Oklahoma City sending Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets.
Not only has Westbrook joined George with the Clippers, but Los Angeles also acquired another former Thunder standout, James Harden, in a three-team trade earlier this season that included Oklahoma City receiving yet another Clippers first-round pick.
Terance Mann’s defense has also helped set the tone for the Clippers.
“When you have a guy that’s willing to commit to the defensive end and just playing hard and taking the responsibility guarding the best player every night to start the game, you need that,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “I’m allowing PG and Kawhi (Leonard) to take on that role down the stretch, late in games, they do that, but T-Mann setting the tone earlier, trying to wear them down, being aggressive, he’s done a good job for us doing that.”
Gilgeous-Alexander goes up against his former team averaging 30.7 points per game and a league-best 2.8 steals per game.
Williams is averaging 17.1 points and 3.7 assists, while Holmgren is contributing 16.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per contest.
The Thunder have won six of their past eight games.
Holmgren recorded a total of 15 blocks in Oklahoma City’s past two games. He not only is in the thick of the Rookie of the Year race but is also making a push to earn an All-Star appearance after missing last season due to injury.
“The game’s slowing down for him,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “He’s a classic example of a guy that, good, bad, up, down experiences, he grows.”
–Field Level Media