By Jared McCain had missed his last 18 3-point attempts.
Eighteen.
Maybe the OKC guard didn't know that exact number, but he certainly knew it was getting up there. You could tell when he finally ended that drought by splashing a triple early in the fourth quarter of a home game against Cleveland on Wednesday.
McCain put both hands up in the air in excitement. His teammates on the bench joined in on the celebration as well. All was right again in his world, and the same could be said for the Thunder.
The flood gates were finally open for a team that'd been damned by injuries.
OKC earned a 124-116 win over Cleveland at Paycom Center. It's the second straight victory for the Thunder, which is back to playing its usual brand of basketball after experiencing a week unlike any other. One where it lost three starters in Chet Holmgren (right knee injury recovery), Jalen Williams (left ankle surgery) and Cason Wallace (left shoulder surgery).
OKC (6-2) played like a team that's ready to put all of that in the rearview mirror, as seen by the way it dusted Cleveland from the opening tipoff. It never trailed en route to the impressive victory.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 41 points, eight assists and four rebounds in 35 minutes on 11-for-26 shooting from the field (5 for 11 from deep). Ajay Mitchell added 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes on 9-for-17 shooting from the field (1 for 3 from deep).
Here are three takeaways from the win:
Kenny Hustle keeps picking up the slack
The final buzzer sounded, solidifying OKC's 117-112 road win over Cleveland on Monday night.
It's a game where Kenrich Williams logged 31 minutes, nearly all of which were spent guarding elite scorers such as James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Matchups usually reserved for the likes of Wallace, Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso.
But with all three guys sidelined, Kenny Hustle had to step up. And even the man known for conditioning felt that fatigue, as he turned to Isaiah Hartenstein in the locker room after the game.
"I have a lot more respect for Lu Dort," Williams told Hartenstein, crediting his former All-Defensive teammate.
Williams had to take on those same matchups again in Wednesday's rematch. But if you thought the 31-year-old forward would try to conserve some energy early on, you don't know Kenny Hustle.
On top of playing strong defense, Williams showed some scoring skills of his own. He scored 10 of OKC's first 18 points to help his team claim an early lead.
Williams ended the night with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes on 5-for-9 shooting from the field (3 for 5 from deep). It's another solid performance for the 31-year-old forward, whose versatility is especially valuable following OKC's recent wave of injuries.
Alex Caruso returns to rowdy reception
A rumbling could be heard from the Paycom Center crowd as soon as Caruso started walking to the scorers table.
It was audibly starving to see its beloved, ball-stopping guard back in action. Someone who missed the last three games due to a sprained right ankle. And when he did check in for the first time with 5:07 left in the first quarter, the cheers were deafening.
Caruso didn't react to the warm reception, but Thunder fans shouldn't take that personally. If anything, that's what makes him so beloved. Caruso was locked in, not in tune with any of the outside noise. Just focused on making some noise of his own, and he did.
Caruso went right back to playing his signature brand of basketball, giving his all-out effort at all times. He recorded seven points, four rebounds and three assists in 19 minutes on 1-for-3 shooting from the field (1 for 2 from deep).
Caruso's return is huge for an OKC team that's missing two key point-of-attack defenders in Jalen Williams and Wallace. He can replicate Williams' ability to defend every position and Wallace's ability to disrupt passing lanes, and he's also capable of knocking down timely 3-pointers.
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Rookies Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz played well with the first unit
After making his first start of the season against Cleveland on Monday, Jaylin Williams was a late scratch for Wednesday's rematch due to low back spasms.
Aday Mara ultimately got the nod as a result, marking his first career start. The 7-foot-3 rookie created an imposing double-big lineup alongside Hartenstein that protected the rim and controlled the glass. And while neither necessarily excels at defending on the perimeter, that wasn't a real issue against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
But when Allen missed the second half due to a right knee injury, Cleveland went with Mario Hezonja instead. That surely played a role in head coach Mark Daigneault's decision to replace Mara with fellow rookie Bennett Stirtz, sliding Kenrich Williams to the four, to begin the second half.
Stirtz provided a boost in the floor spacing department. He also gave OKC even more ball handling and playmaking alongside Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell, although he was more of an energy guy defensively than a viable point-of-attack option.
Both rookies presented pros and cons when running with the first unit, but both handled their opportunities well.
Mara finished with nine points, four rebounds and three blocks in 24 minutes on 4-for-6 shooting from the field. Stirtz recorded 16 points, two steals and one assist in 21 minutes on 6-for-9 shooting from the field (4 for 7 from deep).
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Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder sweep Cavaliers despite being down three starters
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/shai-gilgeous-alexander-okc-thunder-033711790.html
