Inglewood, California: The Oklahoma City Thunder wasted no time wrapping up the best record in the NBA for the 2025-26 season.
Chet Holmgren delivered a dominant performance with 30 points and 14 rebounds, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 20 points and 11 assists as the Thunder rolled to a 128-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. The win secured the top seed in the Western Conference — and the league’s overall No. 1 seed — for the third consecutive year.
Isaiah Joe came off the bench to add 21 points, and Jalen Williams chipped in with 18 points for Oklahoma City, which has now won seven games in a row. As the defending NBA champions, the Thunder will enjoy home-court advantage throughout the entire 2026 playoffs, all the way through the NBA Finals.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 20 points, while Kobe Sanders added 17 points off the bench. Los Angeles, already locked into the play-in tournament after a rough start to the season, played without Darius Garland (toe) and sits in eighth place in the Western Conference. The eighth and ninth seeds in the West will be finalized on Friday when the Clippers face the Portland Trail Blazers.
Other Key Results from Wednesday’s NBA Action:
- Suns 112, Mavericks 107: Devin Booker exploded for 37 points and 9 assists, and Dillon Brooks sealed the win with a late layup as Phoenix clinched the No. 7 seed in the West. The Suns will host a play-in game next week.
- Cavaliers 122, Hawks 116: Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points and Evan Mobley grabbed a career-high-tying 19 rebounds to lead Cleveland past Atlanta in a potential first-round playoff preview.
- Pistons 137, Bucks 111: Jalen Duren posted 21 points and 9 rebounds, and Cade Cunningham returned from an 11-game absence (collapsed lung) with 13 points and 10 assists as Detroit cruised to victory.
- Magic 132, Timberwolves 120: Paolo Banchero tallied 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists to help Orlando move into seventh place in the tightly contested Eastern Conference.
- Nuggets 136, Grizzlies 119: Nikola Jokic recorded his 34th triple-double of the season (14 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists), and Jamal Murray added 26 points as Denver extended its winning streak to 10 games.
- Spurs 112, Trail Blazers 101: De’Aaron Fox scored 25 points and San Antonio’s bench contributed 48 points in a win that locked the Spurs into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
The 2026 NBA Playoffs are right around the corner, with seeding battles and play-in matchups set to deliver high-stakes basketball in the coming days.
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