OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder kept their perfect start alive Thursday night, defeating the Washington Wizards 127-108 inside Paycom Center to improve to 6-0 on the season. Even without two key starters, the defending champions once again proved they can win in multiple ways. This time by grinding through a night where their offense looked out of sync a little due to some easy misses but their defensive pressure never wavered.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his MVP caliber start to the season, pouring in 31 points on 11-20 shooting while adding 7 assists and 3 steals in just 29 minutes. He had 20 points in the first half and controlled the game’s pace, even as the Thunder’s offense struggled to find consistency from beyond the arc. Oklahoma City finished just 16-49 (32.7%) from deep, continuing their early season issues shooting from distance.
Despite the percentages, the Thunder’s process remained sound. They were getting good looks. Open corner threes, rhythm pull-ups, and drive-and-kick opportunities, but the shots simply didn’t fall early. Instead of forcing the issue, Oklahoma City leaned on paint touches and ball movement, attacking inside to generate easier looks. The Thunder outscored the Wizards 54-40 in the paint and only turned the ball over six times compared to Washington’s 22, showcasing their discipline and control.
Isaiah Hartenstein gave Oklahoma City a big lift in the middle, finishing with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. His passing and toughness inside helped stabilize the offense when spacing broke down, and his defense, particularly his rotations and rim protection, stood out. Cason Wallace continued to impress as well, particularly on the defensive end, putting up 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals, once again looking like a veteran in a young player’s body.
The Wizards, though young, didn’t back down. CJ McCollum led them with 19 points, while Bilal Coulibaly chipped in 16. Their athleticism and energy allowed them to hang close for much of the game, even cutting the deficit to two points late in the third quarter. But as has been the story for many rebuilding teams, the late game execution wasn’t there.
That’s when Oklahoma City finally found its rhythm thanks in large part to Isaiah Joe. Making his season debut after missing the first five games with a bruised knee, Joe immediately reignited the Thunder offense. Putting up 20 points and knocking down five threes, the kind of shooting spark the team had been missing and was a welcomed sight.
The timing couldn’t have been better. Joe’s threes at the beginning of the game kept the Thunder from looking completely inept from distance and his floor spacing late helped fuel a 20-6 run that put the game out of reach. Oklahoma City’s lead swelled to 24 points midway through the fourth, allowing Gilgeous-Alexander to rest the entire final period, an important bonus for a team that’s been playing through injuries and played their sixth game in ten days.
Off the bench, Ajay Mitchell added 20 points of his own, continuing his early season surge as one of the league’s most efficient reserves. For him, the thought was that it would be tough for Mark Daigneault to make lineup decisions with Mitchell but it seems pretty clear that the decision is easy. Ajay Mitchell should see consistent minutes every single night.
Even with Chet Holmgren (lower back soreness) and Jalen Williams (wrist surgery recovery) still sidelined, Oklahoma City showed its trademark resilience of sharing the ball, forcing turnovers, and defending with commitment.
It wasn’t their cleanest performance, but it was another reminder of what separates championship caliber teams from young, talented ones still learning how to win. Washington pushed, but Oklahoma City finished.
And as the Thunder move to 6-0, it’s clear they’re not just surviving their early injuries, they’re thriving through them, finding ways to win no matter how the game unfolds.
