Oklahoma City Thunder Hold Off Los Angeles Lakers in NBA Cup Game
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 36 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, and the Oklahoma City Thunder held on for a 101-93 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA Cup game on Friday night.
Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander Dominates
It is the fifth time in the past six games Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 30 points. Jalen Williams added 19 points as the Thunder won their fourth straight.
Lakers Struggle to Keep Up
Dalton Knecht scored 20 points, including five 3-pointers for the Lakers, who have dropped four of their last five. D’Angelo Russell had 17 points off the bench.
Game-Changing Moments
The Lakers drew within one point before Gilgeous-Alexander hit a 3-pointer with 1:35 remaining to put the Thunder up 95-91. The Lakers still had a chance to come back, down four with 22.4 seconds remaining, but Austin Reaves made a bad pass, which was stolen by Williams and led to an easy dunk to give Oklahoma City a 99-93 advantage.
Key Statistics
The Lakers committed four of their 17 turnovers in the fourth quarter…. Oklahoma City tied a season high with 15 offensive rebounds.
Upcoming Schedule
The Thunder are at Houston on Sunday while the Lakers are at Utah on Sunday.
Conclusion
The Oklahoma City Thunder showed their dominance in the NBA Cup game, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s impressive performance. The team’s ability to capitalize on the Lakers’ mistakes and secure key rebounds helped them secure the win.
FAQs
Q: How many points did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander score in the game?
A: Gilgeous-Alexander scored 36 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter.
Q: Who else contributed to the Thunder’s win?
A: Jalen Williams added 19 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein scored 11 points and pulled down a season-high 18 rebounds.
Q: What was the Lakers’ record in their last five games?
A: The Lakers have dropped four of their last five games.
Q: Can the Lakers advance to the quarterfinals after this loss?
A: With the loss, Los Angeles cannot advance to the quarterfinals after winning the inaugural NBA Cup tournament last year.
