Thunder make erratic Warriors pay
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder harried Golden State into an NBA season-high 29 turnovers in a thrilling 138-136 NBA overtime victory on Friday.
In front of an ecstatic crowd in Oklahoma City, the Thunder opened a 10-point lead in overtime on rookie Chet Holmgren’s three-point play with 1:52 remaining.
The Warriors cut the deficit to two points with less than a minute to go but couldn’t get over the hump.
“It’s turnovers and fouls, that’s what it comes down to,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We’re good enough to win the championship, I believe that. But if we’re going to just turn the ball over, throw the basketball to the other team, and foul, then we’re going to lose.”
San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama notched another milestone, scoring 21 points and grabbing 20 rebounds, but it didn’t prevent the Spurs from falling to a franchise record-equalling 16th straight defeat after dropping a 121-112 decision to the Chicago Bulls.
The 19-year-old French phenomenon became the youngest player in NBA history to record a 20-point, 20-rebound game, surpassing Dwight Howard who was a few days closer to his 20th birthday when he did it in 2005.
In other games, Philadelphia’s reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid scored 38 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to propel the 76ers to a 125-114 victory over the Atlanta Hawks despite a late injury scare.
In Boston, Derrick White scored 30 points and Kristaps Porzingis had 21 in the Celtics’ 133-123 victory over the New York Knicks. —AFP
