There is no denying that the Oklahoma City Thunder have simply been drowning ever since the departure of their long-term star point guard, Russell Westbrook. They came closer to a victory this past Monday, November 1, 2021, than, it is safe to say, almost anyone watching had expected them to. However, the Thunder still went back to Oklahoma with yet another loss, propelling them to now have a quite embarrassing 1-6 season record. They lost to Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers in a close 99-94 battle.
The game took place in the Clipper’s home city of Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center, where star forward Paul George put his team on his back in order to carry home the much-needed victory. George ended regulation with a total of 32 points, 7 assists, and 9 rebounds officially being put on the board for his team; he played 40 minutes throughout the game. Also contributing in a critical role for his team was guard Nicolas Batum who showed out for the squad with his important 14-point, 1 assist, and 8-rebound performance. With this win, Paul George and the Clippers are now officially one step closer to fixing their lopsided 2-4 season record; previously 1-4.
Oklahoma City seemed to not be able to penetrate the defense as much as they wanted to this game, making one individual player have to take matters into his own hands. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the most impressive performance of the night for his team by racking up a grand total of 28 points, 2 assists, and 7 rebounds over the course of a hard-fought 40 minutes of action. The Oklahoma City Thunder will now turn their attention to their next target, the Los Angeles Lakers, as they face off against their new superteam this upcoming Thursday, November 4. Hopefully, the Thunder is able to regroup and is somehow able to boost their continuously decreasing chances of a spot in the 2021-2022 NBA Playoffs.