The Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back from last Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 119-103 on Monday, on a night when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reached 100 consecutive games scoring at least 20 points.
Only Wilt Chamberlain, the man who is usually at the top of most impossible NBA records, surpassed that mark, when he signed 126 consecutive games between 1961 and 1963.
Leads with 31 points and nears the triple-double mark
The reigning NBA MVP also made it with a signature basket:
A hanging shot from the free throw after a step back that prevented his defender from blocking his attempt.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the Thunder’s leading scorer with 31 points.
And he came close to a triple-double by adding 10 rebounds and 8 assists.
Jalen Williams, with 20 scores, was the second weapon in the champions’ attack.
For the Grizzlies, scoring was more spread out, with six players reaching double digits in scoring.
Cedric Coward, with 16 points and 8 rebounds, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, with 16 points and 5-of-6 three-pointers, were the top scorers.
Aldama has discreet night
Spain’s Santi Aldama, who had just broken his NBA scoring record against the Washington Wizards last Saturday with 37 points, had a dull night:
He was held to 9 points and 7 rebounds on 4-of-13 shooting.
The Thunder’s victory was forged in the final minutes of the second quarter, after an 18-9 run when the scoreboard only showed a four-point lead with 5:09 minutes left (49-45).
The Grizzlies had come out dominating at the start of the game and got to within 5 points at 9-14.
But the locals responded and soon equalized the match.
Memphis threatened a comeback in the final period.
Caldwell-Pope hit a running triple to make it 101-97, but Gilgeous-Alexander and Brander Carlson answered with back-to-back threes to shut down any hint of an upset.
Thunder consolidates its position at the top
The Thunder (26-3) avoided losing another game after a loss in the last meeting at Minnesota.
Before the game against the Grizzlies, they had lost two of their last three games.
That other loss came against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup semifinals, the same opponent they will face on Christmas Day.
For their part, the Grizzlies remain in the playoff race with a record of 13 wins and 16 losses.
They have won 9 of their last 14 games.
With information from EFE
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