The Oklahoma City Thunder left no doubt on Tuesday night, overwhelming the Orlando Magic 128-92 behind a balanced attack and a milestone performance from Isaiah Hartenstein.
Hartenstein recorded the first triple-double of his eight-year NBA career, finishing with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in just 23 minutes as the defending champion Thunder cruised to their most lopsided win of the season. Oklahoma City improved to an NBA-best 40-11, becoming the first team this year to reach 40 victories.
Isaiah Joe led the way offensively with 22 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points and nine assists despite a quiet scoring night by his lofty standards. Lu Dort chipped in 18 points, and first-time All-Star Chet Holmgren contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who were dominant from the opening tip.
Hartenstein became the 10th player in franchise history to register a triple-double, anchoring an Oklahoma City lineup that was again shorthanded. Jalen Williams missed his eighth straight game with a hamstring injury, and rookie Ajay Mitchell sat out for the sixth consecutive contest due to an abdominal strain. The absences hardly mattered as the Thunder’s depth and energy overwhelmed Orlando.
Playing in front of an energized crowd on the team’s fourth annual HBCU Night as part of its Black History Month celebration, Oklahoma City set the tone early. Joe drilled a 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer to cap a 39-14 opening period, matching the lowest-scoring quarter by a Thunder opponent this season.
The highlight of the night came in the second quarter when Joe threw down a left-handed dunk over Paolo Banchero, igniting the crowd and completing a three-point play that pushed the lead to 56-24. Oklahoma City carried a commanding 68-41 advantage into halftime and never looked back.
By the third quarter, the only real drama centered on Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring streak. Entering the game with 120 consecutive games of at least 20 points, the All-NBA guard began the second half with just 12. He didn’t reach the mark until sinking a free throw with 2:14 remaining in the fourth quarter, extending the streak to 121 games. Gilgeous-Alexander is now within five of tying Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record of 126 straight games with 20 or more points.
For Orlando, Jalen Suggs led the way with 20 points, while Banchero finished with 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting. Franz Wagner, the Magic’s leading scorer, missed his fifth straight game with a high left ankle sprain as Orlando struggled to keep pace throughout the night.
The Magic will look to regroup when they host Brooklyn on Thursday. The Thunder continue their road swing Wednesday night with a visit to San Antonio, carrying momentum that shows no signs of slowing.
