The Oklahoma City Thunder fell apart in the final three minutes of the game against the Charlotte Hornets, but in the end, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed why the team thinks he can be their star of the future.
The third-year player hit a game-winning shot with just over a second left in the game to beat the Hornets 109-107.
Charlotte went on an 18-5 run over a 2:25 period to tie the game with about 10 seconds remaining.
Gilgeous-Alexander walked the ball up court and pulled up a step inside the 3-point line. He drained the shot. He scored nine points in the final quarter, a time in which Oklahoma City struggled mightily to put the game away.
Game on the line. #ThunderUp | @shaiglalex pic.twitter.com/v8gtOghMeJ
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 27, 2020
Oklahoma City led by 13 points with 2:13 remaining in the game, but a series of turnovers and fouls — plus some hot Charlotte shooting — allowed the Hornets to catch back up.
Gilgeous-Alexander had three turnovers in a 33-second period, which sandwiched another turnover by Darius Bazley. Charlotte made 3-pointers on four straight possessions to help them even the game.
But Gilgeous-Alexander’s experience in these types of tight situations over his first two years paid off Saturday, as he stepped into the game-winner.
Oklahoma City starts off the 2020-21 season with a win, and Mark Daigneault starts his NBA head coaching career with a victory of his own.
