Extremely cold feel! Magic made 5 of 34 three-pointers The Thunder won seven straight games to create the best start in team history

On November 5, Beijing time, in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, the Thunder defeated the Magic 102-86, won the opening 7 consecutive wins, ranked first in the West, and created the best start in team history. The Magic suffered a four-game losing streak.

Statistics

Thunder: Alexander 21 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists, Holmgren 14 points and 9 rebounds, Jalen Williams 23 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals, Wiggins 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals, Isaiah Joe 13 points and 4 rebounds;

Magic: Suggs 19 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, Franz Wagner 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, Bitadze 11 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, Moritz Wagner 9 points and 7 rebounds;

Background

The Thunder won all six games of the regular season and ranked first in the West. At the same time, in the latest edition of the NBA's official team power list, the Thunder beat the Cavaliers, Celtics and other teams to rank first in the power list. The Magic won 3 wins and 4 losses in the first 7 games of the regular season, including recent losses to the Bulls, Cavaliers, and Mavericks, suffering 3 consecutive defeats. So far this season, the Thunder have conceded 97.5 points per game, the lowest in the league. In this game, Magic stars Banchero and Wendell Carter were sidelined due to injury.

Match replays

At the beginning of the game, the Thunder hit a three-pointer to take the lead in a wave of 8-2, and the Magic tried to counterattack, but the Thunder then Jalen Williams carried the offensive banner and shot the ball inside and outside to score points to lead the team to a new round of scoring climax, when Jalen Williams turned over and hit a jumper, the Thunder 24-14. In the following period, Franz Wagner hit a three-pointer and Pope hit 3 of 3 free throws, but the Thunder also hit three-pointers from Dort, Caruso and Wiggins, and when Isaiah Joe scored on a mid-range jumper, the Thunder held a 13-point advantage. At the end of the quarter, both sides felt cold and missed many shots. At the end of the first quarter, the Thunder led the Magic by 13 points at 39-26.

Entering the second quarter, the Thunder burst into the opening stage and scored consecutive points to instantly extend the lead to 18 points, but the Magic quickly responded to the opponent, Moritz Wagner and Bitadze continued to score points through free throws, inside ball-holding offense and breakthrough layups, helping the Magic close the deficit to 10 points. Jalen Williams hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding for the Thunder, and Alexander and Mitchell also scored one after another, and the Thunder stabilized the situation. Immediately afterward, the Magic tried to organize a new round of counterattack, but the Thunder responded quickly, Alexander hit a three-pointer and Holmgren hit a dunk. At halftime, the Thunder led the Magic by 15 points at 58-43.

Yibian fought again, the two sides went back and forth on the offensive end at the beginning of the game, the Thunder scored points by counterattacking layups and jumpers, and the Magic hit three-pointers in a row. Then, the Magic scored a wave of scoring climaxes through free throws and strong attacks with the ball, slightly approaching the score. Holmgren scored on a dunk, Alexander drove through the basket with the ball, and the Thunder re-stabilized the situation on the court. The Magic didn't surrender and tried to chase the points through counterattacks and interior offense, but Caruso and Isaiah Joe connected multiple times, and the latter hit three three-pointers in a row, and Wiggins also hit the basket with the ball, and the Thunder extended their lead further. At the end of the third quarter, the Thunder led by 26 points at 84-58.

In the final quarter, the Magic opened the game with full firepower and continued to score points through free throws, three-pointers and counterattack layups, and with this burst of 13-2. The Magic tried to close the score further, and Alexander scored consecutive points on an inside and outside shot to help the Thunder stabilize the situation on the court, and when Isaiah Joe made 2 of 3 free throws, the Thunder held a 16-point advantage. In the ensuing period, the two sides alternated points through jumpers, free throws and counter-attacking layups, and when Dort hit a three-pointer, the Thunder made it 98-78. In the closing stages, the Magic tried to organize a final comeback, but the Thunder managed to hold on to the win. In the end, the Thunder beat the Magic 102-86 to win the opening seven consecutive games and ranked first in the West. The Magic, on the other hand, suffered a four-game losing streak.

Both sides start

Thunder: Alexander, Dort, Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Wallace

Magic: Suggs, Silva, Franz Wagner, Pope, Bitadze