Oklahoma City, Jan 14: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a dominant 34-point performance as the defending NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 119–98 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Tuesda night, registering their first win in four meetings against the Spurs this season.
Jalen Williams contributed 20 points, while Chet Holmgren posted a well-rounded effort with eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks as Oklahoma City improved to a league-best 34–7 at the midway mark of the season. The Thunder remain on pace to mirror last season’s outstanding 68–14 regular-season record.
Despite missing key starters Isaiah Hartenstein and defensive specialist Lu Dort, the Thunder produced a strong collective display, limiting San Antonio to just 40 percent shooting from the field.
For the Spurs, rookie Stephon Castle led the scoring with 20 points, while Victor Wembanyama added 17 points and seven rebounds. San Antonio, who had beaten Oklahoma City three times in a two-week stretch last month to establish themselves as Western Conference contenders, have now dropped six of their last 10 games.
Oklahoma City seized early control behind Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 13 points in the opening quarter to give the Thunder a 32–26 lead. The hosts carried a narrow 55–52 advantage into halftime before pulling away decisively in the third quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s three-point play midway through the third not only pushed the Thunder lead to 73–62 but also marked his 111th consecutive game with at least 20 points—extending the second-longest such streak in NBA history. He scored 15 points in the quarter as Oklahoma City surged ahead 95–76 entering the final period.
The teams will meet once more in the regular season on February 4 in San Antonio.
LeBron shines as Lakers rout Hawks 141–116 to snap skid
Los Angeles: LeBron James turned back the clock with a dominant all-around performance as the Los Angeles Lakers crushed the Atlanta Hawks 141–116 on Tuesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion.
James finished with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double while leading the Lakers in just his second game of a back-to-back during his historic 23rd NBA season. The win marked Los Angeles’ most complete offensive display in weeks.
Luka Dončić provided strong support with 27 points and 12 assists, sparking a decisive second-quarter surge. The Lakers shot nearly 62 percent from the field, pouring in 81 first-half points, their highest-scoring half of the season, to seize full control of the contest.
Los Angeles built a 32-point lead early in the second half, and although Atlanta mounted a late push to cut the margin to 11, the Lakers responded with authority to close out the game.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 26 points, while CJ McCollum added 25 in Atlanta’s third game of a West Coast road trip. Corey Kispert chipped in 19 points in just his second appearance for the Hawks following his recent trade.
The Lakers were red-hot from deep, hitting 19 three-pointers, a sharp turnaround after struggling from beyond the arc in their previous outing. Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton added 17 points each, while Rui Hachimura returned from injury with limited minutes off the bench.
Atlanta continues its road swing at Portland on Thursday, while the Lakers stay home to host the Charlotte Hornets as they look to build momentum from a statement win.
- Source: NBA
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