Chet Holmgren stepped up in crunch time and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder edged out the Golden State Warriors 138-136 in an overtime classic on Saturday (all times AEDT).
After what’d been a quiet performance from Steph Curry, who’d been well held by Lu Dort all contest, the sharpshooter got hot late in the fourth – scoring 10 points inside the last five minutes including a huge go-ahead triple with 19 seconds remaining.
However a careless Draymond Green foul on Holmgren’s three-point shot put the Thunder big man to the line as he calmly made three crucial free throws before Curry’s deep miss at the other end sent the game into the extra period.
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Holmgren would sink a decisive triple in OT to extend the Thunder’s lead to 130-121 followed by a huge and-one play that he celebrated hard to stretch their advantage out to double digits.
But during the frantic extra period at Paycom Centre, Golden State kept coming, with Jonathan Kuminga scoring six quick points to make it a 133-129 Thunder lead with a minute remaining.
A Curry three got the Warriors within two points with 30 seconds to play, but Dort hit an important layup on Holmgren’s assist that ultimately sealed the win for OKC.
“Another classic between these teams,” Thunder commentator Chris Fisher said as the home side improved to 14-7 on the season to consolidate the West’s two seed.
“We have enough to win a championship. I believe that. But if we are just going to throw the ball to the other team and foul over and over, then we’re going to lose,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said post-game.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot 15-of-30 from the field for his game-high 38 points, adding five rebounds, five assists and five steals in a full line.
Holmgren (21 points, seven rebounds, three blocks) and Jalen Williams (28 points, three steals) also had big games, while Josh Giddey had nine points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals but didn’t play down the stretch of the fourth quarter or in OT.
Curry led the Warriors with 34 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the line with six triples and six rebound and Kuminga added 24 points and 12 boards off the bench. Golden State fell to 10-12.
EXUM’S BEST GAME IN YEARS
Turns out all Dante Exum needed to raise his game was to become a father.
The Aussie, whose daughter Daria was born on December 1, got the start with Kyrie Irving out and had 20 points through just three quarters as Dallas went on to beat Portland 125-112.
Exum finished with 23 on 9-of-15 shooting plus seven assists and six rebounds, while Luka Doncic led the way with 32 points and 10 assists.
It was Exum’s first 20+ point game since January 5, 2020, when he had 28 for the Cavaliers in a loss to the Wolves.
MILLS SIGHTING IN SEASON-HIGH MINUTES
We had another Patty Mills sighting!
The Aussie veteran got an extended run in the Atlanta Hawks’ 114-125 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday (all times AEDT).
Mills played a season-high 17 minutes off the bench, scoring three points with two assists and a steal, while he was the only Hawk in the second unit with a positive plus/minus at +1.
“That’s the Patty Mills we know,” Hawks commentator Dominique Wilkins said after Mills’ three-pointer in the second quarter.
It came as Atlanta was missing two starters in Trae Young and Jalen Johnson as its losing streak extended to three games and its record fell to 9-12.
Mills, 35, has endured a difficult season, his first campaign in Atlanta since being traded multiple times in the off-season.
He’s played in just one other regular season game, scoring three points in five minutes in a match against Washington last month.
De’Andre Hunter’s 24 points led all Hawks starters in double figures, while Joel Embiid had 38 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in another dominant showing from the star centre and Tyrese Maxey added 30 points and seven assists.
ELSEWHERE …
Though the San Antonio Spurs suffered a 16th-straight loss in a 121-112 defeat to the Chicago Bulls, Victor Wembanyama reminded the NBA world how dominant he can be.
The No. 1 pick racked up 21 points, 20 rebounds, four assists and four blocks in 31 minutes. According to StatMuse, Wembanyama became the first rookie to record such numbers since Shaquille O’Neal and the youngest player in NBA history with a 20-20 game.
It comes after OKC’s Chet Holmgren has taken over as the favourite for Rookie of the Year in recent weeks in a hot stretch, but Wembanyama again staked his claim in what looms as one of the most entertaining races for the major award.
Coby White (24 points, six assists), Nikola Vucevic (21 points, 16 boards), DeMar DeRozan (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Pat Williams (20 points) also had big performances as Chicago won a fourth-straight game without Zach LaVine to improve to 9-14.
The Spurs meanwhile dropped to 3-18.
ALL RESULTS
HAWKS 114 76ERS 125
PISTONS 91 MAGIC 123
RAPTORS 116 HORNETS 119
KNICKS 123 CELTICS 133
WIZARDS 97 NETS 124
WARRIORS 136 THUNDER 138 (OT)
TIMBERWOLVES 127 GRIZZLIES 103
CAVALIERS 111 HEAT 99
BULLS 121 SPURS 112
ROCKETS 114 NUGGETS 106
KINGS 114 SUNS 106
MAVERICKS 125 TRAIL BLAZERS 112
CLIPPERS 117 JAZZ 103