Thunder Beat Mavs Behind SGA
Oklahoma City defeated Dallas 100-87 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropping 30 points and key second-half baskets. Thunder defense locked down the Mavs' stars down the stretch, tightening their grip on the Western Conference race as they push for a top playoff seed.
With the victory, the Thunder swept the season series against the Mavericks, winning all three matchups. This win marks their second consecutive victory and their seventh in the last nine games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 30-point effort was his NBA-leading 36th game with 30 or more points this season. The performance also marked his 59th consecutive road game with at least 20 points, breaking a record held by Wilt Chamberlain since 1963. He is also now just three games shy of tying Chamberlain's record for most consecutive 20-point games overall, with his streak currently at 123. The Dallas Mavericks were significantly shorthanded, playing without injured rookie star Cooper Flagg and two other regular starters. Klay Thompson also left the game in the second quarter with an adductor contusion and did not return. The loss was a historic one for Dallas at home, marking their eighth straight defeat at American Airlines Center, the longest home losing streak for the franchise since the 1993-94 season. The 87 points scored was a season-low for the Mavericks and snapped a 41-game streak of scoring at least 100 points. While SGA led the charge, the Thunder's supporting cast stepped up in crucial moments. Isaiah Joe scored eight straight points for Oklahoma City in a 10-2 run to start the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 22. Chet Holmgren contributed 19 points and nine rebounds in the victory. For the struggling Mavericks, who have now lost three straight and 13 of their last 15 games, Caleb Martin was a bright spot, scoring a season-high 18 points. Brandon Williams and Max Christie each added 14 points for Dallas.
