The Thunder played their third game in four nights Saturday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spent the fourth quarter watching.
That’s a pretty good way to handle a crowded schedule.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and handed out nine assists in 29 minutes as the Thunder rolled past the Wizards, 114-75, for their third straight win. They’re now 8-2, and the help around their star is starting to add up.
As Derek Parker of Thunder On SI detailed, Jared McCain followed Friday’s 21-point performance against the Grizzlies with 19 against the Wizards. Seventeen came before halftime.
That’s a useful response from a shooter who recently missed 18 consecutive 3-point attempts across four games. The Thunder kept getting him opportunities, and now they’re getting the production.
Rookie center Aday Mara supplied another encouraging development, scoring a career-high 18 points on 80 percent shooting and blocking three shots.
The 7-foot-4 Mara even made his first NBA 3-pointer on his first attempt of the season. When the big guy starts adding that, it qualifies as a good night.
The larger benefit was another manageable workload for Gilgeous-Alexander, who also sat out Friday’s fourth quarter.
The Thunder need his scoring and playmaking. They also need nights when everybody else does enough to let him finish early.
Against the Wizards, McCain and Mara helped make sure the reigning MVP could enjoy the ending from the bench.
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