JWill … block shots?
Jaylin Williams, primarily deployed to draw charges and add another physical, more traditional body for a center, did something wild Friday.
It might’ve been the craziest defensive sequence of his career.
With OKC ahead 10 with 6:21 left in the third quarter, Williams slid toward the rim on a fastbreak. Williams tends to be grounded and sturdy, to fold his arms across his torso before he’d ever raise up with them airborne. But when he saw Michael Porter Jr., he changed his stance.
Williams shot up as Porter Jr. did, leaping with one hand to swat the shot. It didn’t end there. When Jalen Williams — yes, the other one — kept the ball alive by tossing it behind him, Peyton Watson immediately stole it and charged back toward the rim. He should’ve known what would come next.
Jaylin Williams shuffled his feet together to draw a charge, the Thunder began to stack its run, and Williams continued to play a sound role in Jokic’s quiet night.
Thunder tip-ins
h Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 40 points, his fifth game of 40-plus points this season, second most in the NBA.
h Chet Holmgren’s 14 points on 6of-8 shooting in the first quarter, were (unsurprisingly) a career high for points in a quarter. Holmgren got out to a wildly efficient and effective start Friday. In three meetings, the rookie is averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks against Jokic. Maybe Holmgren won’t need that extra burger after all.
h The Oklahoman’s well-celebrated columnist, Joe Mussatto, pointed out a box score from two years ago to the day Friday. In a 115-97 loss to Phoenix sans Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC started Isaiah Roby, Ty Jerome, Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort and Paul Watson. Jerome had a 24point, 22-shot game. Every starter but Roby played at least 35 minutes. Scotty Hopson played 18 minutes, his one and only game with the Thunder. And in two years, fans have gone from ripping their hair out to wanting to give Sam Presti a Nobel Prize for the way this thing is unfolding.