Eugene Omoruyi scored a career-high 22 factors to assist the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Toronto Raptors 132-113 on Friday evening to snap a four-game shedding streak.
Omoruyi, a two-way participant from the Toronto space, acknowledged that the sport in opposition to his hometown group “undoubtedly meant somewhat extra.” He made the a lot of the alternative by making 8 of 10 subject targets, together with 5 of 6 3-pointers.
Omoruyi spent final season on the G-League’s Texas Legends, averaging 15.8 factors and 6.6 rebounds per recreation as a rookie. This season, he is performed in two of three video games for the Oklahoma City Blue — the Thunder G-League affiliate — and has averaged 26.5 factors and 4.0 rebounds.
He seemed comfy after transferring up, and he appears ahead to extra probabilities.
Part of his success Friday got here from firming issues down a bit.
“He’s aggressive and he needs to show himself, and he will get amped up and tries to pressure one thing,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned. “He did a very good job tonight in simply letting the offence work for him, and he finally ends up getting open appears.”
Omoruyi highlighted a Thunder squad that had eight gamers rating in double figures for the primary time in franchise historical past.
Toronto native Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 factors, and Josh Giddey added 15 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for the Thunder, who posted their largest margin of victory this season. Montreal’s Luguentz Dort had 13 factors and 7 rebounds.
WATCH | Thunder’s Canadian duo shines in opposition to Raptors:
Toronto’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Montreal’s Lu Dort powered Oklahoma City past Toronto in blowout win.
Though Gilgeous-Alexander had his second-lowest level complete of the season, different gamers have been capable of get going for the Thunder.
“He was simply very content material with selecting his spots, and letting his teammates make the performs,” Daigneault mentioned. “It empowers everyone else and actually permits us to develop our group.”
Oklahoma City rolled out to a 70-56 halftime lead. The Thunder led by 17 factors early within the third quarter and did not look again, holding at the very least a 15-point lead by means of the rest of the sport and pushing the benefit to 32 factors within the fourth quarter.
Daigneault on Gilgeous-Alexander: “He sees the larger image at a fairly elite price for a younger participant, and that advantages him and us by way of the long run. And it additionally advantages you in a recreation the place groups clearly are going to attempt to scheme to take him out and attempt to frustrate him. And the worst factor you are able to do in opposition to that tactic is like attempt to jam the ball in there. You know, it is deflating, fairly frankly. And he is gone up in opposition to it many occasions and confirmed nice poise tonight.”
Raptors centre Precious Achiuwa didn’t play. He is out indefinitely with an ankle harm.
Toronto will subsequent face the Pacers on Saturday in Indiana.