Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back after two losses in three games to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-103 on…<\/p>\n
OKLAHOMA CITY(AP) \u2014 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back after two losses in three games to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-103 on Monday night in a matchup of teams missing several key contributors.<\/p>\n
Gilgeous-Alexander made 11 of 20 shots and had eight assists and four steals. It was his 100th consecutive game with at least 20 points, adding to the second-longest streak in NBA history.<\/p>\n
Jalen Williams scored 24 points and Ajay Mitchell added 16 off the bench before leaving midway through the fourth quarter for Oklahoma City (26-3), which played without starters Chet Holmgren (illness) and Isaiah Hartenstein (calf soreness). <\/p>\n
Cedric Coward and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each scored 15 points for Memphis (13-16), which played without injured starters Ja Morant (ankle) and Zach Edey (ankle). The Grizzlies committed 23 turnovers, leading to 31 Oklahoma City points. <\/p>\n
The teams combined to shoot 80 3-pointers. The Grizzlies were 18 for 41 (44%), while the Thunder made 15 of 39 (38%).<\/p>\n
Oklahoma City led 67-54 at halftime. The Thunder turned a 57-47 lead into a 17-point advantage on a dunk by Williams, a deep 3-point basket by Lu Dort and a layup by Gilgeous-Alexander. Three turnovers by Caldwell-Pope fueled the blitz.<\/p>\n
After Memphis cut the Thunder lead to 78-71 on a corner 3-pointer by Caldwell-Pope with 2:25 left in the third, Williams made a pair of jumpers and then threw down a dunk over Christian Koloko to make it 84-71.<\/p>\n
The Thunder took a 93-75 lead on a 3-pointer by Mitchell early in the fourth, but Memphis fought back. The Grizzlies pulled within 101-97 on Caldwell-Pope’s 3-pointer, but Gilgeous-Alexander answered with a 3-pointer, then assisted Branden Carlson on a corner 3-point shot to extend the lead to 107-97. <\/p>\n
That was as close as Memphis would get. Oklahoma City extended the lead to 113-99 on back-to-back baskets by Gilgeous-Alexander.<\/p>\n
\nUp next <\/p>\n
Grizzlies: Visit the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
Thunder: Visit the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n