Australian teenager NBA 2021/2022″>Josh Giddey continues to break NBA records in his first season in the top basketball league in the world.
The 19-year-old recorded his 11th double-double of the season today, breaking the record set by Russell Westbrook for most double-doubles by a rookie for Oklahoma City Thunder.
By recording 14 points, 12 rebounds and four assists for the Thunder, Giddey also became the youngest player since Lebron James to hit 500 points, 200 rebounds and 200 assists in his first 45 NBA games.
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In their first game since leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was injured, the Oklahoma City Thunder battled their way to victory.
Lu Dort had 18 points and the Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers 98-81 Monday night to end a seven-game losing streak.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 22.7 points per game, is out until the All-Star break with a right ankle sprain suffered last Friday against Indiana. Without him, the Thunder trailed Portland by 18 points in the second quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander was often the catalyst when Oklahoma City launched comebacks after big deficits. But this time his teammates filled in and stepped up.
“I said when he came out that we wanted to be a problem-solving team with five guys,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
“It’s like the internal messaging that we use quite regularly with the guys. And not having a player like Shai is a problem. You know, we would like to have Shai. And I thought tonight… we solved the problem with five guys. »
Darius Bazley scored 15 points and Giddey added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Thunder.
CJ McCollum had 21 points and Norman Powell added 18 for Portland, which lost four of five.
“For the most part, it’s one of those games where you couldn’t shoot,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said.
“Eighty-one points – anyone in the league scores 81 points, there’s no way you have a chance of winning the game. But I thought we played the right way. I just couldn’t do them. »
Portland took charge early, leading 31-19 after one quarter and 40-22 early in the second before the Thunder rallied and trailed 47-39 at the break.
“I thought at the beginning, mostly, that we move it, that we play the right game. But we were just like, not doing it at the pace that we are capable of and that we need to,” Daigneault said.
“And then we, as the game went on, we kind of got our feet wet. »
Oklahoma City started strong in the second half and a 3-pointer from Dort cut Portland’s lead to 51-49. A field goal from Derrick Favors tied the score at 51, and the Blazers called a timeout.
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Ty Jerome’s 3-pointer late in the quarter gave the Thunder a 61-59 lead, and a steal and lane float by Dort as time expired in the third gave Oklahoma City a 65-point lead. -61.
A pass behind Jerome’s back to Kenrich Williams led to a dunk that put the Thunder up 73-65. It was part of a 15-0 run that gave the Thunder an 80-65 lead and control for good.
“He wasn’t a person carrying a load, it was just a style and a team orientation that allowed us to play the advantages,” Daigneault said.
“And I think the guys have done a really good job of that. »
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