NBA: Thunder defeat Pacers to extend win streak to 4
FILE–Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Rob Carr/Getty Images/AFP
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Joe scored 23 points each to lead the host Oklahoma City Thunder to a 126-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
Luguentz Dort added 22 points and a career-high 11 rebounds to help the Thunder extend their winning streak to four. Oklahoma City has won six of its last seven.
The Pacers have dropped five consecutive games.
Oklahoma City controlled the game from the start, jumping ahead 17-1 less than four minutes into the game.
The Thunder hit their first six shots, with Gilgeous-Alexander scoring seven points during the initial outburst. Indiana missed its first four shots with three turnovers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the OKC win:
⛈️ 33 PTS
⛈️ 5 REB
⛈️ 5 ASTFor more, download the NBA app:
📲 https://t.co/WFdLNEjikq pic.twitter.com/YNpwP8iry8— NBA (@NBA) January 9, 2023
But after trailing by as many as 19 points in the first quarter, the Pacers made a push with a 22-6 run over a nine-minute stretch well into the second.
Just moments after T.J. McConnell’s driving layup cut the Oklahoma City lead to 40-37, Dort answered with a 3-pointer on the other end, igniting another big Thunder run that stretched their lead to 14 by halftime.
Oklahoma City scored 10 of its 22 second-quarter points off Indiana’s nine turnovers.
The Thunder finished with 36 points off the Pacers’ 24 turnovers.
While Gilgeous-Alexander struggled from the field overall, finishing 7 of 17, he was 5 of 9 in the third quarter, scoring 11 points as Oklahoma City scored 42 points to extend its lead to as many as 28.
Josh Giddey added 16 points and 11 assists for the Thunder, while Kenrich Williams had 12 points and a career-high 10 assists.
The Thunder finished with 41 assists, equaling its most since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Joe hit seven 3-pointers, matching his career highs in 3-pointers and scoring.
Andrew Nembhard led the Pacers with 18 points and seven assists.
