Star Thunder forward Jalen Williams departed the first half of Oklahoma City’s 105-101 road win Wednesday over the Warriors with a right eye injury, per Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman.
All-NBA Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled mightily without Williams. He shot just 5-for-16 from the floor in the second half.
Oklahoma City center Isaiah Hartenstein opined that the team’s general approach to the game should not have been greatly changed even with the absence of Williams late. Instead, with Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot not falling, the team struggled to close out Golden State, nearly squandering its entire 19-point lead.
“But that shouldn’t change the way we play,” Hartenstein said of Williams’ departure. “I think we didn’t execute the way we should have. … We shouldn’t have been in that situation.”
There’s more out of the Northwest:
- The Nuggets have had difficulty scoring in the “middle eight” of their first halves — the final four minutes of the first quarter and first four minutes of the second, observes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “We were talking about that the other day, about how I think there’s only one time in the first 16 games this season that we’ve won the last four minutes of the first quarter and the first four minutes of the second quarter,” head coach Michael Malone said. “Every other game, (we lose) that eight-minute stretch, which coincides usually with Nikola (Jokic) being out. So there are a lot of nights where I think we actually get off to good starts. That we’re actually playing well. And then we have that stretch, that four-, six-, eight-minute stretch where the bottom falls out. … And the second half for whatever reason has been better.” According to Durando, Denver ranked No. 2 overall in second-half net rating ahead of their most recent matchup, and No. 29 in first halves.
- Beyond their offensive issues in the “middle eight” period of first halves, the Nuggets have also shown slippage on defense early on this season, thanks in part to Aaron Gordon‘s extended absence. During their 122-103 win Wednesday against the Jazz, at least, the Nuggets appeared much improved on that end of the floor too, Durando writes in another Denver Post story. Point guard Jamal Murray picked up opponents for all 94 feet. “Being more physical from the start of the possession,” Murray said of his better defensive effort. “Not (letting) them get to their spots easy or set their screens where they want to set it. Stuff like that. So I think as a group, not just one or two guys, but getting everybody to do that (is important). And we were doing a good job of talking — I’m talking about this game. We’ve been doing a terrible job. But we did a better job today, of switching and talking, and even if there is a mistake or a blow-by, having help behind it.”
- After being named to the 2024 All-Defensive Second Team, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels is looking to level up this season, aspiring to be named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2025, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. He’s currently in the first season of a five-year, $131MM contract extension he inked with Minnesota in the 2023 offseason. “That is one of my goals, being [First Team],” McDaniels said. “I was [Second Team] last season. It’s a big goal. First Team, we take it first step by step. For me, I guard the best players. I’m not shutting them down, but I make it tough for them. I make their [shooting] percentages lower.
Jaden McDaniels is playing terrible this year on defense, and dreadful on offense.
Julius Randle has a lot to do with Jaden’s struggles on both sides of the ball.
I’m not saying he isn’t blameless but with Randle’s bully ball isos all McDaniels can do is spot up for spacing or he gets in the way. His strength on offense is cutting from the slot and slashing from the corners while having a jumper that defenses have to at least pay some attention too. He doesn’t have a quick release and needs space to shoot and his cuts provided that as defenders had to sag off. Now defenders can split the difference because with Randle doing his thing McDaniels can’t slash or cut.
He’s still playing decent defense but he and Gobert have to compensate for Randle as for they have no faith in Randle on defense. KAT was never going to make an All defense team but he’s at least adequate when he doesn’t have to be a rim protector.