After becoming the second team in NBA history to start at least 24-1, the Thunder have gone 6-6 in their last 12 games. Joshua Gateley / Getty Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder still have the best record in the NBA and are considered the favorite to win the NBA Championship. But even the best run into lulls during an 82-game season.
That was illustrated Monday night when the Thunder lost to the Charlotte Hornets, 124-97, at Paycom Center. The Thunder, who started the season 24-1 and sparked talk of if they could challenge the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors all-time best regular-season mark of 73-9, fell to 30-7 and 6-6 in their last 12 games. Three of those losses came against San Antonio. Before Monday, Portland was the only team with a losing record to beat the Thunder. That happened on Nov. 5 and was OKC’s first loss of the season and just OKC’s second loss at home.Monday’s defeat was the second time the defending NBA champions have lost back-to-back games. The Thunder lost at Phoenix on Sunday.
The Thunder shot just 37 percent from the field, including 11 of 39 from 3-point range (28 percent). Reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot 7-for-21 in scoring 21 points.
The Hornets (13-23) outscored the Thunder 66-38 over the second and third quarters and led by as many as 30 points in the fourth quarter. Charlotte closed the second quarter on a 22-10 run.
Six Hornets scored in double figures, led by Brandon Miller with 28. Charlotte shot 53 percent (19-for-37 from 3, 51 percent) against OKC’s usually stingy defense. The Hornets also held a 52-34 rebounding advantage. The Hornets committed 21 turnovers to OKC’s seven, but that didn’t matter with their hot shooting.
Oklahoma City has games against two more teams with losing records (Utah on Wednesday, at Memphis Friday) before hosting Miami on Sunday and another matchup with San Antonio next Tuesday.
The Spurs are (25-10), second in the Western Conference, four games behind the Thunder.