Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 113-99 home win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 or more points for the 13th time this season and finished with eight rebounds.
The Thunder have won 15 of 16 to begin the season, including seven consecutive.
The Kings have lost seven consecutive games, including the first three on a five-game road trip.
Dennis Schroeder led the Kings with 21 points off the bench, while DeMar DeRozan added 17 and Monk 16. Zach LaVine equalled his season low of eight points for the second consecutive game.
With Oklahoma City running away from opponents, Gilgeous-Alexander had sat out the fourth quarter in each of the previous four games. But this wasn’t the blowout the Thunder have been accustomed to early in the season.
The Thunder took the lead for good on Isaiah Hartenstein’s layup less than three minutes into the second quarter, but Sacramento repeatedly battled back to stay within striking distance.
Oklahoma City stretched its lead to 16 early in the fourth quarter, but Sacramento wasn’t going away quietly.
The Kings cut the deficit to nine with a 9-2 run punctuated by Malik Monk’s step-back 3-pointer with less than nine minutes remaining.
But after going nearly four minutes without hitting a field goal, Oklahoma City broke off a 9-0 run to stretch the lead back out and Sacramento never again threatened the lead.
Chet Holmgren added 21 points, going 10 of 15 from the field.
Dort scored 14, hitting four 3-pointers — three in the fourth quarter. Hartenstein led the Thunder with 12 rebounds.
After leading by eight at halftime, Oklahoma City stretched that lead to 14 in the third thanks to its defense.
The Thunder forced nine Kings turnovers, leading to 11 points on the other end and holding Sacramento to just 19 points in the quarter.
The Kings were just 1 of 8 from beyond the arc in the third.
Oklahoma City swept the season series with the Kings, winning all three matchups.
–Field Level Media
