Thunder 123, 76ers 103: The Day After Report
Recapping the Thunder's win against the 76ers on March 23, 2026.
Jalen Williams is back. After missing a month, then another month, then another month with a brutal run of injury, recovery, and reinjury luck for his wrist and hamstring, Williams played 20 solid minutes. 18 points, 6 assists, 4 boards and 8-14 shooting in JDub’s return.
The still-short-handed Thunder (Ajay Mitchell was issued a ridiculous one-game suspension for Saturday's fracas) easily beat the shorter-handed Sixers, who played a pretty hopeless game without Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George, Quentin Grimes, and Kelly Oubre. That's 12 straight for the defending champs.
Final: Thunder (57–15) def. 76ers (39–33), 123-103
Nuggets and Notes:
- Really ugly open to the first quarter. Before 7 minutes had been played, both teams had combined for 8 turnovers and 3 offensive rebounds off zany, bricked passes and shots. Shai was the worst Thunder culprit, coughing it up 4 times in the opening frame.
- But Jared McCain (13 points) nailed his first two threes after checking into the game to a standing ovation from the Sixers fans.
- JDub led OKC's second unit as it clamped down in the second quarter, holding Philly to 7-19 shooting. And OKC stayed hot, building their 35-25 lead to 65-43 by half on 53.3% team shooting and 11 made threes.
- In the third quarter, Shai kept the game, the 1 seed, and the MVP award out of reach (sorry, Victor). He lived at the rim, going 5-5 to rack his 23-piece and sit for the remainder of the win.
- We're properly spoiled by Shai. I wouldn't have batted an eye at 5 turnovers in a game in the past. When SGA incurs that many TOs, it feels like a disturbance in the force.
- More being spoiled treatment: Chet is OKC’s third-leading scorer (17 on 6-11 shooting tonight) and routinely closes down the paint (5 blocks).
- The Thunder defense drives people crazy. Exhibit N: Nick Nurse screaming "They're not perfect! They foul, too!" when OKC had been called for one (1) fewer foul to that point. In the end, OKC was called for 15 fouls to Philly's 12, and the Sixers even pulled 10 steals.
- I get it. You force more turnovers, fouls, and second-chance points against the possession-stealing Thunder, and still get blown out? Every edge lost is existential against OKC. Exhibit O: Nurse was caught asking “What the f*** is going on?” after a (horrible) offensive goaltending call against his Sixers.
- The ref whining is becoming one of my favorite hallmarks of this season. We'll remember when: Shai was shooting close to 70%, the Thunder were blowing teams out by 20 while fielding a legit 13-man rotation, ripping off multiple 12+ game winning steaks, and getting fewer fouls called than their opponents…but the other coaches thought begging for a better whistle might even the playing field.
- Related: This was one of my favorite Mark Daigneault challenge games in some time. While Nurse blew his challenge on an obvious violation by Cam Payne, Daigneault saved Shai from drawing his third foul in the first quarter on what seemed like a hail mary challenge. SGA was rewarded with a block instead of the foul, and Nurse settled into being apoplectic for the whole contest. Process and results: Daigneault usually gets both right.
- Isaiah Hartenstein took an end of shot clock three. Still 0-fer in his Thunder career from deep. IHart's floater was pure, though. 10 points, 12 boards, 5 assists. Super duper role player.
