SHAI Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to their seventh consecutive victory, a 127-103 rout over the visiting Denver Nuggets on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
It was the first of back-to-back games in Oklahoma City for the teams that entered the day in the top two spots in the Western Conference. The loss dropped the Nuggets into third place, percentage points behind the Los Angeles Lakers.
The West-leading Thunder have won 16 of their last 18 games and snapped the Nuggets’ two-game winning streak. Gilgeous-Alexander his NBA-best 11th 40-point game of the season.
Nikola Jokic, coming off an historic performance (31 points, 21 rebounds and 22 assists) in Friday’s overtime win over Phoenix, came up just short of his 30th triple-double of the season. He finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, along with three blocks.
In other games, it was the Clippers 111, Kings 110 (OT); Suns 125, Mavs 116; Grizzlies 107, Pelicans 104; Wolves 141, Spurs 124; Sixers 126, Jazz 122; Pistons119, Blazers 112; and Cavs 112, Bucks 100.
Clippers 111, Kings 110 (OT)
James Harden scored 29 points, and Kawhi Leonard added 17 with the game-winning basket at the overtime buzzer as Los Angeles helped its playoff prospects by rallying for a victory over visiting Sacramento at Inglewood, Calif.
Ivica Zubac scored 22 points with 14 rebounds and Derrick Jones Jr. also had 17 for the Clippers, who were without leading scorer Norman Powell (hamstring) for the ninth time in the past 10 games. Los Angeles also was without head coach TyronnLue because of back pain, while assistant coach Brian Shaw led the team.
DeMarDeRozan scored 31 points with 10 assists and Zach LaVine added 30 points for the Kings, who lost for the second time in their last seven games and fell to 8-6 since LaVine made his debut with the team on Feb. 5.
Suns 125, Mavs 116
Devin Booker scored 24 points as visiting Phoenix beat severely underhanded Dallas.
Kevin Durant posted 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Bradley Beal contributed 19 points and Grayson Allen added 17 off the bench as 11th-placed Phoenix closed the gap on 10th-ranked Dallas in the West by moving within 1 1/2 games. Naji Marshall scored 34 points, moving past his previous career-best haul of 29 set two nights earlier against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Klay Thompson had 26 points for the Mavericks, who suffered their fifth successive loss and saw their injury crisis deepen with starter Brandon Williams (hamstring) and Dwight Powell (head) both sitting out the fourth quarter.
