Thunder rally, SGA leads
The Oklahoma City Thunder rallied past the Chicago Bulls 131-113 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pouring in 25 points to keep OKC ahead in a critical seeding race. The win keeps OKC two games up in the loss column on the Spurs as teams jockey for playoff positioning down the stretch. ( )
Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander shot 8‑for‑24 from the field and 9‑for‑12 at the line while extending his streak to at least 20 points in 134 straight games. (nba.com) Cason Wallace led OKC’s supporting scorers with 21 points and Jaylin Williams chipped in 12, while Jalen Williams returned to a home court for the first time since Jan. 13 and finished with 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds. (nba.com) Isaiah Hartenstein grabbed a team‑high 16 rebounds and the Thunder shot 46.5% overall, getting balanced scoring from reserves Ajay Mitchell (15) and Isaiah Joe (15). (nba.com) Oklahoma City closed the second half on a 22‑0 run that turned a one‑possession game into a multi‑score lead, a stretch that included a 15‑0 finish to the third quarter that left Chicago scoreless for nearly seven minutes. (espn.com) All‑Star forward Chet Holmgren missed the game with a bruised right hip, and the Thunder were playing the next night against the New York Knicks while Chicago was scheduled to visit Memphis on Saturday. (espn.com) San Antonio still holds the season‑series tiebreaker over Oklahoma City as the regular season winds down, a factor that will matter with fewer than 10 games remaining for each club. (espn.com)
