Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder avenged their only defeat of the season on Sunday, using a fourth-quarter surge to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 123-115 and improve to 20-1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points to lead six Thunder players to score in double figures. With their 12th straight win, Oklahoma City is off to the best start since the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors opened the season 21-0.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander’s 93rd straight game with at least 20 points is the second-longest such streak behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 126 straight set from October 1961 to January 1963. He surpassed a 92-game streak set by Chamberlain from February 1963 to March 1964. Center Chet Holmgren added 19 points, nine rebounds, three blocked shots, and a steal for the Thunder, who opened the final period on an 8-0 scoring run to gain the upper hand in a tense clash that featured 15 lead changes.
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OKC suffered their only defeat of the season against the Blazers on November 5, when the Thunder squandered a 22-point lead and fell 121-119 at Portland. The Blazers again put them to the test, emerging from a back-and-forth first half with a 55-54 lead and taking an 87-85 lead into the final period. Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with a triple-double of 31 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists, but the Thunder wouldn’t be denied.
Aaron Wiggins came up with a steal and a basket to launch the fourth-quarter opening burst. Holmgren produced a massive block, then made a layup. Jalen Williams threw down a dunk, and Ajay Mitchell came up with another steal and a layup, and suddenly the Thunder had a six-point lead less than two minutes into the final frame. “We got a lot of turnovers in that stretch, which goes down to playing hard, being in the right spots, really cracking down on the game plan,” said Williams, who played his second game since returning from offseason wrist surgery. “I think that kind of opened up the game. It gave us a lot more flow. Anytime you can get open layups in transition and offense, it just gives you more flow to the game, gives you more incentive to play defense, and we did that.”
Portland cut the deficit to two with 2:58 remaining, but the Thunder pulled away again.
– Hawks top Sixers –
The Atlanta Hawks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 142-134 in double-overtime to spoil Sixers big man Joel Embiid’s return from a nine-game injury absence. It was tied 132-132 with 2:44 left in the second overtime when Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson drilled back-to-back three-pointers, and the Hawks held on for a fourth victory in five games. Johnson led the Hawks with 41 points and 14 rebounds, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 34 points. Tyrese Maxey scored 44 for Philadelphia, including a basket to force overtime, and Embiid added 18 points in his first game since November 8.
Boston’s Payton Pritchard scored 42 points and Jaylen Brown delivered his fourth career triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists as the Celtics edged the Cavaliers 117-115 in Cleveland. Pritchard scored six points in the last 90 seconds to help Boston hold off a late charge by Cleveland, who were led by 27 points from Evan Mobley, with 21 from Darius Garland, and 18 from Donovan Mitchell.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, fueled by 32 points from Anthony Edwards, beat San Antonio 125-112, outscoring the Spurs 36-19 in the fourth quarter to post their second win in as many days after rallying to beat the Celtics. De’Aaron Fox scored 25 points, and Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson added 22 points apiece for the Spurs, who were again without injured superstar Victor Wembanyama.
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