Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points, including a 34-foot 3-pointer with 1:18 remaining, as the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder continued to find success against the Los Angeles Lakers with a 107-104 victory on Thursday.
Luguentz Dort added 17 points as the Thunder defeated the Lakers for the second time in eight days. They are the only two victories for Oklahoma City in eight tries this season.
Three days after blowing a late lead in the same building in a defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Thunder used a 13-0 run in the fourth quarter to take their first lead of the game while going 1-2 on a three-game trip through California.
Anthony Davis scored 29 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Lakers, who were playing without LeBron James (abdominal strain). The Lakers’ star is expected to be out for a week. James also sat out the Lakers’ loss at Oklahoma City last week.
Davis played the second half with a sprained right thumb after he was injured while fighting Gilgeous-Alexander for a rebound just before halftime. He did not return to the floor until after the third quarter started.
A basket inside from Kenrich Williams gave the Thunder an 85-84 lead for their first advantage of the night. Gilgeous-Alexander added a conventional three-point play for an 88-84 lead to cap their 13-0 run.
After the Lakers took a 95-93 lead with 2:23 to go on a bank shot by Davis, the Thunder came back to take the lead for good at 98-95 on a Williams 3-pointer. Gilgeous-Alexander added his long-range 3-pointer with 1:18 remaining for a 101-95 advantage.
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The Lakers pulled within 105-104 on a 3-pointer from Carmelo Anthony with 9.6 seconds remaining before the Thunder put the game away on two free throws by Dort. Russell Westbrook missed a 3-pointer just before the buzzer that would have tied the game.
Daruis Bazley and Ty Jerome had 14 points each for the Thunder, who overcame a 19-point first-half deficit. Williams had 13 and Derrick Favors had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Westbrook had 27 points for the Lakers, while Anthony had 21 off the bench.
–Field Level Media