Jalen Williams led the way with 27 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 25 as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Toronto Raptors 121-109 Friday night, marking Chet Holmgren’s return from injury.
Holmgren, last season’s Rookie of the Year runner-up, played his first game in three months after recovering from a pelvic fracture. The 7-foot-1 forward contributed four points, five rebounds, and four blocks in 22 minutes of action.
Aaron Wiggins provided a spark with 18 points for the NBA-leading Thunder (41-9), who extended their winning streak to four games.
Scottie Barnes paced the Raptors with 21 points, while Gradey Dick chipped in 17. Toronto, already dealing with injuries, lost its third straight game.
The Raptors played without leading scorer RJ Barrett, who remains in concussion protocol. Newly acquired Brandon Ingram, brought in from New Orleans at the trade deadline, was with the team but did not suit up.
Oklahoma City took a 58-47 lead into halftime and never relinquished control. Williams delivered a highlight moment in the third quarter when he muscled through traffic for a layup while drawing a foul. After watching the ball roll in, he flexed his arms for the crowd before sinking the free throw to put the Thunder up 79-64.
Takeaways
Raptors: Toronto struggled to score inside, converting just 20-of-50 shots from two-point range. Holmgren and fellow 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein made life difficult for the Raptors in the paint.
Thunder: Oklahoma City didn’t miss a beat with Holmgren back in the lineup. The team shot 51.2% from the field and finished with 26 assists while committing just 12 turnovers.
Key Moment
Holmgren recorded his first points since returning from injury with a layup at the 9:43 mark of the first quarter, marking his long-awaited return.
Key Stat
Gilgeous-Alexander was automatic from the free-throw line, making all 14 attempts.
Up Next
The Raptors will play the Rockets in Houston on Sunday, while the Thunder will travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Saturday.
