Oklahoma City on Thursday stretched the NBA’s best winning streak to 13 games with a home victory, while reigning champions the Boston Celtics held on for a last-shot triumph at Minnesota.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had game highs of 29 points and eight assists to spark the Thunder over the Los Angeles Clippers 116-98, improving the Western Conference leaders to 28-5.
The Thunder’s winning streak is the longest since the team relocated from Seattle after the 2007-2008 season.
Photo: AP
“It’s just being present, going day by day, working on ourselves, and I think we’re doing a good job on that,” said Isaiah Hartenstein, who added 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City trailed 52-48 at halftime, but outscored the Clippers 42-20 in the third quarter and Los Angeles never closed the gap.
“We wanted to come out and just pick up the pressure,” Hartenstein said. “We did a good job of that.”
Photo: AFP
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Celtics were without Jaylen Brown due to a shoulder strain and Kristaps Porzingis with an ankle sprain, but dispatched the Timberwolves 118-115.
Jayson Tatum sparked Boston with 33 points on 13-of-27 shooting, six of 17 from three-point range, while adding eight rebounds and nine assists.
“No J.B. No K.P. We’ve had a rough stretch this last eight or nine games,” Tatum said. “So this January we’re going to try to turn it around and get back to our identity. What better way than to come in on the road in a tough environment against a really good team down two of your best players and the way that we responded, figured out a way to win, we will take that any day.”
The Celtics (25-9) made only four turnovers, while forcing 16 by the Timberwolves (17-16), who made it close by outscoring Boston 20-4 at the free-throw line.
The Timberwolves led 35-28 after 12 minutes, matching their top-scoring first quarter of the season, but the Celtics pulled ahead 62-51 at halftime, only for Minnesota to rally in the final minutes.
Donte DiVincenzo sank three free throws with 28 seconds to play to pull the Timberwolves within 118-115.
Minnesota got the ball after a Tatum miss with 3.1 seconds remaining, but Anthony Edwards missed a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Boston the victory.
“Just had to stick with it,” Tatum said of Boston’s defensive work. “They were hitting some tough shots. You’ve got to live with something, can’t take everything away. Stick to the game plan, compete.”
Derrick White added 26 points for Boston. Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27.
Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry went eight-for-eight from three-point range, his most career three-pointers made without a miss in any game, and scored 30 points to lead the Golden State Warriors over visiting Philadelphia 139-105.
Despite a sprained thumb the 36-year-old guard and all-time NBA three-point leader went 11-of-15 from the floor, added 10 assists and was one shy of the most three-pointers without a miss in an NBA game, the nine-for-nine efforts by Jalen Brunson, Ben Gordon and Latrell Sprewell.
“Sometimes a little injury can lock you in to focus on what you need to do,” Curry said. “I usually shoot a lot more, but you make them, you’re in a rhythm, you’re getting the shots you want, that feels good. Usually when you’re in a rhythm like that, good things happen. It’s cool to do something for the first time, though.”
Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 28 points and 14 rebounds.
Brooklyn’s Cameron Johnson scored 26 points and reserve Cam Thomas added 24 as the Nets won 113-110 at Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Bucks, while Damian Lillard added 23 points, but the Milwaukee stars each missed shots late to doom a rally featuring a 20-0 run, Lillard missing a three-point try at the buzzer.
LeBron James had 38 points and eight assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers over Portland 114-106, despite Anthony Davis being out with an ankle sprain.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 33 points and added 15 rebounds to lead Indiana over Miami 128-115.
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