The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t mind sitting MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out during their game on Sunday night. Meanwhile, the Delta Center in Salt Lake City experienced some technical difficulties. In the second quarter, as Thunder star Chet Holmgren was at the free-throw line, a smoke machine above the hoop unexpectedly started releasing smoke for an extended period, though no players seemed to notice. Holmgren even made an impressive dunk on a fast break before officials paused the game to fix the malfunctioning smoke machine.
One of the announcers humorously remarked, “He’s literally setting this place on fire.” The Jazz started with a free throw, which was their only lead during the game. The Thunder responded with a 13-0 run and went on to win 131-101, marking their 15th consecutive victory and improving their season record to 23-1. This winning streak is on track to surpass the single-season wins record of the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.
Holmgren led with 25 points and 9 rebounds, while Jaylen Williams also scored 25 points and Aaron Wiggins contributed 19 points off the bench. The team shot 58% from the field and made 21 of 42 three-pointers. Gilgeous-Alexander sat out due to left elbow bursitis, marking his first missed game of the season.
For the Jazz, Kyle Filipovski topped the scoreboard with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks added 20 points each off the bench. After this loss, the Jazz’s record dropped to 8-15, marking their second straight defeat by 30 points or more.
The cause of the smoke remains unknown, but arena staff will investigate it. The Jazz have one more game this week against the Memphis Grizzlies before returning home on December 15 to face the Dallas Mavericks.
Fan Take: The Thunder’s dominant performance, even without their MVP, highlights their incredible depth and potential to break historic records, exciting fans about the future of the league. This game also underscores the Jazz’s current struggles, signaling a crucial period of rebuilding and resilience for one of the NBA’s storied franchises.
