Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t getting too caught up in his team’s undefeated start.
Off to a 6-0 start for the first time since the franchise moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder will look to continue their streak on Monday night against the visiting Orlando Magic.
Oklahoma City sits in the middle of the NBA in offensive rating, averaging 112.5 points per 100 possessions after ranking third last season. However, they lead the league in defensive rating, allowing just 95.1 points per 100 possessions. No other team is allowing fewer than 101 points.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 26.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.8 steals over the first six games. A significant change for him this season has been his increased willingness to shoot from the perimeter, averaging 7.2 three-point attempts—double his average from last season.
The Thunder have won by an average of 17.7 points per game, with no game closer than 12 points. They are coming off a 105-92 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
Monday’s game begins a stretch where Oklahoma City will play seven of its next eight games at home.
While the Thunder are hot, the Magic have struggled since losing Paolo Banchero, the top overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Banchero sustained a torn right oblique in Wednesday’s loss to Chicago and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks.
Orlando’s losing streak extended to three games with a 108-85 setback to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night. The Magic are 0-1 this season on the second night of a back-to-back, and Monday’s game will be their fourth in a five-game road trip. With Banchero out, second-year forward Jett Howard’s role has expanded, as he played a career-high 22 minutes in Sunday’s loss.
The Magic might also be without Wendell Carter Jr., who missed Friday’s loss at Cleveland with right knee tendinitis but started against the Mavericks. However, after less than nine minutes on the floor, Carter left the game in the second quarter and was emotional on the bench after suffering a plantar fascia strain on his left foot. Another Magic center, Goga Bitadze, has missed the last four games with a left foot tendon strain.
Monday’s game will be the first of two meetings this season between the Thunder and Magic. Oklahoma City swept their matchups last season, and the Magic haven’t won in Oklahoma City since early in the 2020-21 season.
