Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Scores 34 as Thunder Beat Clippers 108-101 for 3-0 Start, Jalen Williams Stretchered Off Late
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma — The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers 108-101 at Paycom Center on October 25 to open the season 3-0. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points on 13-of-26 shooting and 7 of 8 at the free-throw line, with six rebounds, five assists and two steals, but the win was overshadowed by injuries: forward Jalen Williams was stretchered off late in the fourth quarter, and two other Thunder players had already left the game hurt.
The Clippers led 46-43 at halftime after a 26-20 second quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 points in the third quarter as Oklahoma City took the period 34-30, and the Thunder closed with a 31-25 fourth quarter for a 65-55 second half. Ajay Mitchell added 18 points, six rebounds and four assists for Oklahoma City, Isaiah Hartenstein had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Alex Caruso finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists. For the Clippers, Darius Garland had a team-high-tying 16 points with 11 assists, and Kris Dunn and Brook Lopez scored 15 apiece; Los Angeles fell to 1-2 and 0-2 on the road.
Injuries dominated the second half. Thunder PR announced during the game that Jaylin Williams (right wrist soreness) and Cason Wallace (left shoulder soreness) would not return. Then, with 1:15 remaining, Jalen Williams went up for a dunk, was fouled by the Clippers' Derrick Jones Jr., and fell awkwardly on his left leg. Medical staff stretchered him off as he gave two thumbs up and fans chanted his nickname, "J Dub." He had played 31 minutes 41 seconds, scoring eight points with two rebounds and five assists. Williams played in just 33 games last season because of a right wrist injury and strains in both hamstrings before returning to full health this summer. A tearful Gilgeous-Alexander said afterward: "I just feel bad for him... We just got to hold the fort down until he comes back." The Thunder had not announced further test results on Williams' left leg as of publication. (Reporting based on Reuters game data and The Oklahoman coverage)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：俄克拉荷马城雷霆主场 Paycom Center（2021年9月资料照片）。Steve Morgan 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布。/ Paycom Center, home of the Oklahoma City Thunder, in September 2021 (file photo). Photo by Steve Morgan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- 2026-10-25Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Scores 34 as Thunder Beat Clippers 108-101 for 3-0 Start, Jalen Williams Stretchered Off LateThis story
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