Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Nov 2, 2024 12:50 am

Thunder pull away from Blazers to remain unbeaten

Thunder, Trail Blazers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists as the unbeaten Oklahoma City delivered a 137-114 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

Jalen Williams added 22 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals as Oklahoma City won its fifth straight game to open the season. Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace scored 13 points apiece off the bench, Isaiah Joe added 12 and Ousmane Dieng had 11 for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City has won 13 consecutive games against the Trail Blazers. One of last season’s victories was by a 139-77 score, with the 62-point margin tying for fifth-largest in NBA history.

Jerami Grant had 17 points and Deandre Ayton and Rayan Rupert added 14 apiece for Portland. Toumani Camara had 13 points and Deni Avdija and Dalano Banton had 11 apiece for the Trail Blazers, who have started the season with four losses in six games.

Oklahoma City shot 53.7 percent from the field, including 19 of 49 (38.8 percent) from 3-point range. Gilgeous-Alexander made 12 of 18 shots and Williams hit 8 of 12, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

Chet Holmgren blocked five shots for the Thunder.

The Trail Blazers shot 47 percent from the field and made 15 of 35 (42.9 percent) from behind the arc.

The Thunder dominated the third quarter, outscoring Portland 38-17 to turn a tie game at halftime into a 21-point lead for the visitors.

Alex Caruso’s basket capped a 9-0 spurt as Oklahoma City led 89-78 with 3:56 remaining in the quarter.

Later, Wallace knocked down a 3-pointer and Gilgeous-Alexander followed with four straight points to end a 23-5 surge as the Thunder held a 103-83 lead with 24.1 seconds to go.

A buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Dieng gave Oklahoma City a 106-85 edge entering the final stanza.

The Thunder scored nine of the first 11 points of the fourth quarter with Ajay Mitchell’s trey making it 115-87 with 9:17 left in the game and Oklahoma City cruised to the finish.

The Thunder led by as many as 17 in the first quarter before the score was knotted at 68 at the break.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 18 in the half and Williams added 17 for the Thunder. Grant had 14 first-half points for Portland.

The Thunder led 35-18 after a trey by Gilgeous-Alexander with 1:16 left in the first quarter. The score was 37-24 entering the second.

Oklahoma City led by 15 four minutes into the quarter before Portland began trimming the deficit.

Later, a 13-2 burst was capped by Ayton’s basket for a 66-65 Trail Blazers’ lead with 37.1 seconds left in the half. It ended up tied when Williams drained a 32-foot 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

Georgia basketball
Nov 2, 2024 9:04 am

Expectations high as Georgia opens season vs. Tennessee Tech

The Georgia basketball program hasn’t had it easy the last two decades. Since their first-round NCAA Tournament victory in 2002, the Bulldogs have gone winless in three appearances in “The…

Devin Booker
Nov 2, 2024 8:18 am

Devin Booker, Suns look to topple Trail Blazers

The Phoenix Suns have played teams from Los Angeles in four of their first five games. Seeing the Lakers and Clippers twice apiece hasn’t stopped the Suns from winning four…

Minnesota Timberwolves
Nov 2, 2024 8:00 am

Defense on display as Timberwolves tangle with Spurs

Defense will be the focus when the Minnesota Timberwolves travel to San Antonio to battle Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Saturday. The game is the second of a home-road…

More Basketball News

Georgia basketball
Nov 2, 2024 9:04 am

Expectations high as Georgia opens season vs. Tennessee Tech

The Georgia basketball program hasn’t had it easy the last two decades. Since their first-round NCAA Tournament victory in 2002, the Bulldogs have gone winless in three appearances in “The…

Devin Booker
Nov 2, 2024 8:18 am

Devin Booker, Suns look to topple Trail Blazers

Minnesota Timberwolves
Nov 2, 2024 8:00 am

Defense on display as Timberwolves tangle with Spurs

Nikola Jokic
Nov 2, 2024 7:59 am

Winless Jazz have tall task vs. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

clippers harden
Nov 2, 2024 7:59 am

Clippers host Thunder, still waiting to christen new home with win

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds