Thunder top Warriors in overtime, Bulls add to Spurs slump in NBA
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody and forward Draymond Green.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LOS ANGELES – Golden State coach Steve Kerr slammed his charges for their careless play, as the Oklahoma City Thunder harried the Warriors into a National Basketball Association (NBA) season-high 28 turnovers in a thrilling 138-136 overtime victory on Dec 8.
In front of an ecstatic crowd in Oklahoma City, the Thunder opened a 10-point lead in overtime on rookie Chet Holmgren’s three-point play with 1min 52sec remaining.
“That’s who he is,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 38 points. “He’s gutsy. He does whatever it takes to win.”
The Warriors cut the deficit to two points with less than a minute to go but could not get over the hump.
Stephen Curry scored 10 of his 34 points in the extra period, but the Warriors could not overcome the 28 turnovers that led to 35 Thunder points.
“It’s turnovers and fouls, that’s what it comes down to,” Kerr said.
“We’re good enough to win the championship, I believe that.
“But if we’re going to just turn the ball over, throw the basketball to the other team, and foul, then we’re going to lose.”
The game was one of 13 on the slate on Dec 8, before the next day’s (Dec 10 morning, Singapore time) showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers for the maiden NBA Cup.
In other match-ups, San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama notched another milestone, scoring 21 points and grabbing 20 rebounds, but it did not prevent the Spurs from falling to a franchise record-equalling 16th straight defeat, 121-112 by the Chicago Bulls.
The 19-year-old French phenomenon became the youngest player in NBA history to record a 20-point, 20-rebound game, surpassing Dwight Howard, who was a few days closer to his 20th birthday when he did it in 2005.
Philadelphia’s reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid scored 38 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to propel the 76ers to a 125-114 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, despite a late injury scare when he appeared to injure his knee.
“I just twisted it,” he said. “So we are going to talk about it and see how it feels. But I don’t know. I should be fine.”
In Denver, the reigning champions suffered their first home defeat of the season, falling 114-106 to the Houston Rockets – who fended off a late Nuggets surge to win for the first time on the road.
Meanwhile, Derrick White scored 30 points and Kristaps Porzingis returned from a four-game injury absence to add 21 in the Boston Celtics’ 133-123 home victory over the New York Knicks.
In Orlando, Franz Wagner scored 27 points and Paolo Banchero added 24 for the Magic, who handed the Detroit Pistons a 19th straight defeat, 123-91. AFP
