Thunder 114-95 Bulls (Oct. 26, 2024) Game Recap

CHICAGO – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 points, Chet Holmgren added 21 points and 16 rebounds, the highest of his career, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat Chicago 114-95 in the Bulls' home opener on Saturday.

Jalen Williams added 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Zach LaVine scored 22 points and nine rebounds for Chicago. Nikola Vucevic added 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Josh Giddey finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in his first game against the Thunder since Alex Caruso was traded to Chicago for the season. Oklahoma City granted his request after his role in the playoffs was reduced.

Caruso, a popular player during his three seasons with the Bulls, received a standing ovation and waved to the crowd during an early timeout. He came into the game late in the first quarter and finished with three points in 22 minutes.

Takeaways

Thunder: The Thunder are looking good after two games after securing first place in the Western Conference last year. There was no disappointment against Chicago after the Nuggets were beaten 102-87 in an important game earlier in the season. Oklahoma City and Denver each finished 57-25 last season, with the Thunder clinching first place in the Western Conference thanks to a tiebreaker.

Bulls: Chicago never found a rhythm after rolling past Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in Milwaukee on Friday. The Bulls shot 34.8% overall and made just 15 of 53 3-point shots.

Key moment

The Thunder ended the first half with a 22-3 run and took a 59-39 lead into the locker room.

Key statistics

The Bulls cooled off significantly from 3-point range after going 21 of 47 against Milwaukee. Coby White was 0 for 9 from distance after a 35-point game.

Next

The Thunder host Atlanta on Sunday and the Bulls visit Memphis on Monday. ——

AP NBA: