Luguentz Dort · n collecting his thoughts after seeing the Houston Rockets shoot under 40 percent (on 96 shots), commit 16 turnovers, and be suffocated at every turn, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s superstar guard left the NBA Cup Semifinals well-recapped in five words: “Tonight was a Lu Dort night.” Stringing together what some deemed to be one of his career’s finest two-way performances in Thunder threads, Dort shows what victory means to him personally, literally diving face-first to collect an errant dribble. Setting the tone for what Oklahoma City’s breakaway second half would soon entail, Dort, keeping on high alert even while grounded, finishes the sequence by flinging a pass to a teammate, setting up a breakaway layup. The defensively-minded affair on December 14, 2024 proved to be right in Dort’s wheelhouse, as he tallied 19 points (on 5-of-11 shooting), nine rebounds, one assist, three steals, five 3-pointers, and a +10 plus-minus. Dort’s selfless contributions soon went rewarded with victory, as Oklahoma City solidified their spot in Vegas’ NBA Cup Championship game. · State of Mint · State of Mint