Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 40-point night led the Thunder to an 11th straight win in a game marred by a brawl, while LeBron James set a new NBA appearances record.
LOS ANGELES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points in a stormy Oklahoma City Thunder victory over the Washington Wizards.
The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player bagged his seventh 40-point game of the season to help the Thunder roll to an 11th straight win, downing Washington 132-111 on the road.
Chet Holmgren added 18 points and 10 rebounds while Isaiah Hartenstein had nine points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists. The game saw four players ejected during a first-half brawl that halted play for 11 minutes.
The altercation erupted with 27 seconds left in the second quarter after Oklahoma City grabbed a 68-63 lead. Thunder forward Jaylin Williams held the ball after the basket and twice bumped into Washington’s Justin Champagnie.
Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell came up to confront Champagnie and was smacked in the face, igniting the melee. After officials reviewed the incident, Champagnie, Williams, Mitchell and Thunder teammate Cason Wallace were all ejected.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said he disagreed with the ejections but praised his team’s response. “Those are emotional situations, and everybody is competitive and amped up after that,” Daigneault said.
“But if you’re a true competitor, you channel that into execution, and that’s what I thought we did. We got better from that point on.”
Wizards coach Brian Keefe praised his team’s response to the confrontation. “Our guys stuck up for each other, which I always love,” Keefe said.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Lakers bagged their ninth straight victory with a thrilling 105-104 defeat of the Orlando Magic. Luke Kennard’s buzzer-beating three-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining sealed the win.
The victory ensured LeBron James’ record-breaking 1,612th regular season game was a cause for celebration. “I know once I stepped on the floor that I was breaking the record, and that’s a pretty cool thing,” James said.
“I’ve tried to be available throughout my career, two decades plus, for my guys.” The Lakers are third in the West with a 46-25 record.
Second-placed San Antonio improved to 53-18 with their fifth straight win, a 134-119 blowout over the Indiana Pacers. Keldon Johnson and Dylan Harper scored 24 points apiece while Victor Wembanyama added 20.
In Houston, Kevin Durant’s 27 points helped the Rockets edge the Miami Heat 123-122. Durant’s three-pointer with 3:35 to play took him past Michael Jordan into fifth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
“It means a lot. I’m very grateful to be able to do this here for this fanbase,” Durant said of his scoring achievement. “I’m looking forward to continuing.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers improved to 44-27 with a 111-106 defeat of the New Orleans Pelicans. The Atlanta Hawks eased to a 126-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
