OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points and six assists and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their fourth straight game, beating the Brooklyn Nets 124-108 on Sunday night.
Josh Giddey had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists, and rookie Chet Holmgren added 18 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots for Oklahoma City, which improved to 22-9, good for second place in the Western Conference.
The Thunder have hosted a New Year’s Eve game every year since the franchise moved to town and have a 12-4 record in those games. Brooklyn is 2-8 all-time on New Year’s Eve.
Holmgren and Jalen Williams, who scored 17 points, scored all of the Thunder’s points in a 16-8 run that extended Oklahoma City’s lead from seven points to 102-87 with 8:49 left. Brooklyn got no closer than 12 points the rest of the way and Oklahoma City eventually led by as many as 21 points.
Mikal Bridges had 22 points – 15 in the first quarter – to go with seven rebounds and seven assists for Brooklyn, which has lost three straight games. Cam Thomas had 20 points and Nic Claxton had 15 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. The Nets, who have lost four straight games against Oklahoma City, are 1-16 this season when allowing an opponent 120 or more points.
Oklahoma City shot 54.2% from the field (45 of 83), while Brooklyn shot just 38% (38 of 100).
Brooklyn made its first five shots (three of them 3-pointers) and built a 10-point first-quarter lead at 18-8, but the Thunder shot 54.6% in the half and eventually led 59-56 at halftime.
The Nets were within 67-65 before Giddey fueled an 11-2 spurt by Oklahoma City, making two baskets before feeding Gilgeous-Alexander on a fast-break layup that made it 78-67 with 5:37 left in the third quarter. That caused Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn to call his second timeout in a 99-second span.
A 3-pointer by Holmgren in the final seconds of the quarter put Oklahoma City ahead 89-79 and started the Thunder’s game-clinching run.
UP NEXT:
Nets: Visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.
Thunder: Host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
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