OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 40 points and eight assists in three quarters, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled past the Cleveland Cavaliers 134-114 on Thursday night in a matchup of teams with the best records in the NBA.
The Western Conference-leading Thunder and the East-leading Cavaliers now have matching 34-6 records. The Cavaliers won the first meeting 129-122 on Jan. 8. In the rematch, the Thunder handed the Cavaliers their worst loss of the season.
Lu Dort scored a season-high 22 points and Jalen Williams added 19 for Oklahoma City, which won its fourth straight.
Darius Garland had 20 points and nine assists for Cleveland, and Jarrett Allen added 13 points. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland’s top scorer, was held to eight points on 3-for-15 shooting.
The Cavaliers led 12-10 before Oklahoma City took over. The Thunder closed the first quarter on a 22-2 run to take a 32-14 lead. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in the opening period.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 11 points in a three-minute stretch late in the first half to help the Thunder take a 75-49 lead at the break.
PACERS 111, PISTONS 100
DETROIT (AP) — Myles Turner scored 28 points, Pascal Siakam added 26 and Indiana beat Detroit.
Turner was 8 of 11 from 3-point range while his teammates went 5 for 19. Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and eight assists as the Pacers won for the seventh time in eight games.
Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 25 points while Cade Cunningham had 20 points and nine assists despite shooting 7 for 21 (1 for 7 on 3-pointers). Detroit had won 10 of 12.
The Pacers missed 10 of 12 shots to start the fourth quarter, allowing the Pistons to get within 96-90 with 5:38 to play despite committing 19 turnovers.
Detroit, though, came up empty on its next six possessions as Indiana moved the lead back to 12 points.
The Pistons shot 2 for 17 on 3-pointers in the second half.
SUNS 130, WIZARDS 123
WASHINGTON (AP) — Devin Booker scored 37 points, Kevin Durant added 23 and Phoenix weathered a late rally in a victory over Washington.
Booker had his third-consecutive 30-plus game to help Phoenix survive after Washington cut a 24-point deficit to three late in the fourth quarter.
Rookie Ryan Dunn added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Grayson Allen had 21 points for the Suns. They improved to 1-1 on their five-game trip.
Tyus Jones had nine points and 10 assists as the Suns won their fifth out of seven overall.
Rookie Keyshawn George scored a career-high 24 points for the Wizards. They lost their eighth straight but snapped a stretch of double-digit defeats at three.
Jordan Poole added 18 points, and Alex Sarr had 16 points and nine rebounds.
CLIPPERS 118, TRAIL BLAZERS 89
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Norman Powell scored 23 points, James Harden had 19 points and Los Angeles beat Portland.
The Clippers routed Portland a night after beating Brooklyn at home by a franchise-record 59 points.
Dalano Banton led the Trail Blazers with 23 points. Scoot Henderson had 16 points.
Kobe Brown’s dunk in the fourth pushed the Clippers to their biggest lead at 34.
KINGS 132, ROCKETS 127
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — DeMar DeRozan had 33 points, Malik Monk added 26 points and nine assists and Sacramento beat Houston.
Monk made the last four free throws for Kings. They improved to 21-20 with their eighth victory in nine games.
Domantas Sabonis had 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists for the Kings, and DeAaron Fox added 19 points.
Jaden Green led Houston with 28 points, and Alperen Şengun had 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Rockets had won seven straight on the road.
The Associated Press
