PORTLAND, OR — The bench was nearly empty, and so was the tank.
OKC poured everything it had into its road game against Portland on Wednesday. A true test on a night when it was without Chet Holmgren (right knee injury recovery), Jalen Williams (left ankle surgery), Cason Wallace (left shoulder surgery), Ajay Mitchell (left ankle sprain), Jaylin Williams (low back spasms), Nikola Topić (G League assignment) and Thomas Sorber (right knee surgery).
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But as the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Thunder fell just short of the finish line. It watched as Deni Avdija drove it home, stealing the ball with just over 30 seconds remaining and racing up the floor to deliver an emphatic one-handed slam.
That sealed Portland's 118-108 win. The Trail Blazers were led by none other than Avdija, who recorded 28 points, six assists and four steals.
It's the second loss in as many nights to Portland, which also earned a 123-103 home win over OKC on Tuesday. The Thunder is now 8-4 on the season.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
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Alex Caruso applied defensive pressure in rare start
The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of a timeout, and Jrue Holiday prepared to inbound the ball underneath Portland's own basket.
It was supposed to be a routine pass to an open Damian Lillard. A simple sequence just a few minutes into Wednesday's contest. But Alex Caruso wasn't having it.
The veteran guard got a rare starting nod — just his fourth in three seasons with OKC — and wasted no time doing what he does best. He applied defensive pressure, jogging all the way to Lillard and forcing someone else to catch the inbound pass.
Caruso continued to shadow Portland's superstar guard throughout the night. There was no Dame Time after Lillard erupted for 25 points on Tuesday. Just the steady ticking of OKC's Grandfather clock.
Caruso helped hold Lillard to 18 points on 5-for-14 shooting from the field (2 for 10 from deep) in 31 minutes. He also recorded 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals himself on 4-for-6 shooting from the field (4 for 5 from deep) in 28 minutes.
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Isaiah Hartenstein was feeling it
Isaiah Hartenstein instantly knew it was on the money. Those with elite touch can tell when the ball leaves their fingertips that they've hit their mark.
But that's mostly the case for shooters. In Hartenstein's case, it's his passing. And the 7-foot center could already be seen celebrating when he delivered a perfect bounce pass to a cutting Kenrich Williams for an easy layup early in the fourth quarter.
That gave OKC its first lead since the second quarter. Portland then called a timeout, giving a fired-up Hartenstein even more time to flex his muscles.
He was definitely feeling it.
Hartenstein had every aspect of his game going for him on Wednesday. His passing was on point, as was his patented push shot. And he seemed to know where to be to snag a rebound every time the ball bounced off the rim.
Hartenstein finished with a season-high 20 points to go along with 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals on 10-for-14 shooting from the field in 33 minutes.
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Toumani Camara made life difficult for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is often eloquent with his words, effortlessly conveying his thoughts. But on Wednesday night, he had something he couldn't get off his chest if he tried.
It was the hand of Toumani Camara, who kept it glued to the front of Gilgeous-Alexander's jersey from the opening tipoff. And no amount of dazzling dribbling, shoulder bumps, step-backs or step-throughs could free him up.
It was more of the same from Tuesday's contest, where Gilgeous-Alexander managed to score 26 points against Portland. But he went 5 for 15 from the field (33.3%) and 0 for 3 from deep (0%) when guarded by Camara.
Camara used his strength, his 7-foot-1 wingspan and his lateral quickness to stay in front of the two-time reigning MVP in Wednesday's rematch. He made it difficult to find driving lanes, and he also contested any 3-pointers Gilgeous-Alexander settled for as a result.
OKC did a better job of getting Camara switched off of Gilgeous-Alexander during the second half, freeing him up for a few clean looks. He also battled his way to the free-throw line for some easy buckets.
But everything had to be earned, as Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points, four rebounds and two assists on 9-for-20 shooting from the field (0 for 7 from deep) in 36 minutes.
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Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder fall short vs Trail Blazers for second straight night
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