Dec 8, 2025 3 min read thunder recap

Thunder 131, Jazz 101: The Day After Report

Nuggets, notes, and takeaways from last night's Thunder game.

Oklahoma City has already protected many leads while its MVP rests this season. Against Utah, the Thunder showed they could protect a blowout start-to-finish on a night Shai didn't even suit up.

The Thunder matched their longest ever win streak (15, tying last year's team) and improved on their best ever start (23-1) without the reigning MVP (SGA was out with elbow bursitis). And without Isaiah Hartenstein, or Lu Dort. Or Alex Caruso.

And without Isaiah Joe, OKC made 11 threes in the opening quarter (another franchise best). The 45-20 first quarter lead was never again in doubt. 23-1.

This was an unserious game. It often looked like a scrimmage, and multiple arena malfunctions caused bizarre stoppages.
The Jazz were without Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and George Niang. That's no murderer's row, but Utah had no chance without them. Utah had especially no chance and no effort given (related) on defense, rolling out a red carpet of open rim runs and wide open threes for the Thunder's ensemble cast.
Case in point: Branden "Is it Garbage Time So Soon?" Carlson poured in an easy 11 points immediately after checking into the first quarter of action. One poster and three bombs, with poor Isaiah Collier (6'4) being the only Jazz player attempting to contest the seven footer once or twice.
It seems clear that Thunder backup bigs know their best path to playing time is by chucking threes at a decent clip.
I know I just praised him, but I was nonplussed by Ousmane Dieng's 4-5 night from three. I think Brandon Rahbar would've made 4-5 threes last night. Dieng just lacks the force that the rest of the roster plays with, and I don't see it materializing yet. Even Jaylin Williams, the most limited athlete in the rotation, has a quick trigger from three, putting pressure on the defense at a solid career rate. I do think Ous will be a guy, just not for this Thunder team.
Having said that, J-Will went 1-6 and dropped below 30% from deep on the season. Dieng spiked his low volume (11-28) average to 39.6% on the season. They entered the game tied in 3P%.
No timetable has been given on SGA's return. Hopefully it's extremely mild elbow bursitis.
Had the Jazz won, it would've improved the Thunder's odds of landing their pick this summer (Utah owes Oklahoma City a top-8 protected first rounder). But assuming SGA gets back soon, I want to watch the team strive for all-time greatness. And any win without Shai is precious.
Until they lose another game, I have my sights on 74.
I was so appalled by the Jazz's lack of competitiveness I almost tweeted that they were a black eye for the league.
Jalen Williams (25 pts, 8 ast, 2 stl, 11-19 FG) finally got hot. After a missing his first three jumpers, JDub insisted on taking the Jazz up on their offer to give him a shooting/layup drill in the paint.
Williams' playmaking and effectiveness in transition has been great since his return, and both were on display tonight. Ajay Mitchell was solid as the starting point guard, but JDub and Chet stepped into most of the offensive responsibilities left open in Shai's absence. They even rested the fourth quarter like Shai. Speaking of Chet...

One Key Takeaway: Unstoppable Chet

The Jazz had no answers for Chet. Holmgren scored 25 while taking just two three-pointers (he did make another one foot-on-the-line two). Chet got whatever he wanted, which was usually a lay-in or dunk, with some pyrotechnics thrown in.

Shaq was legendary for shattering backboards. Chet setting off the smoke machine was almost as cool. The Jazz arena even let them play-through for a sick Chet oop.

But there was a lot more Chet magic than that to be excited about. Check out this package:

Off the dribble