Thunder halt 2-game skid with huge 2nd half vs Sixers
CHET HOLMGREN scored 29 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 129-104 home win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
The win snapped the Thunder’s two-game skid, their first losing streak of the season.
It was also Oklahoma City’s 23rd consecutive regular-season victory over an Eastern Conference opponent.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Thunder took control after halftime, outscoring the 76ers, 65-42 to deal Philadelphia its third consecutive loss.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 27 points and five assists with just one turnover while Aaron Wiggins scored 15 off the bench and starter Jalen Williams added 14.
The 76ers were without Joel Embiid, who missed the game with a right ankle sprain and right knee injury management. Embiid had played in the previous two games.
The Thunder were up two at halftime and the game remained tight until an 11-0 run midway through the third that started with Holmgren’s 3-pointer and wrapped up with Gilgeous-Alexander’s driving layup.
The 76ers, who had been hot from the field as both teams were on fire offensively early, missed six consecutive shots during the run.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points, but 15 came in the first quarter and just five came in the second half. No other 76ers player finished with more than 13 points. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined to go just three of 16 from the field after halftime.
Without Embiid, the 76ers struggled to defend near the basket. Oklahoma City outscored Philadelphia, 72-34 in the paint.
The Thunder shot 57.5% from the field, led by Holmgren (12 of 17) and Gilgeous-Alexander (10 of 13).
Holmgren added a game-high nine rebounds and four blocks.
Oklahoma City had lost four of six, three of those to San Antonio.
The game was the second in a five-game road trip for Philadelphia.
RAPTORS TOP WARRIORS IN OT
Scottie Barnes recorded his seventh career triple-double on Sunday, and the Toronto Raptors dominated overtime (OT) to defeat the visiting Golden State Warriors, 141-127.
Barnes had 23 points, a career-best 25 rebounds and 10 assists to help Toronto rally from a 13-point third-quarter deficit. It was the first 20-20 triple-double ever recorded by a Raptor.
Toronto scored the first 10 points of overtime in winning the opener of a five-game homestand.
Brandon Ingram scored 26 points for the Raptors. RJ Barrett contributed 12 points on his return after missing 15 games with a sprained right knee. Immanuel Quickley scored 27 points. Ja’Kobe Walter had 18 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 13 points and Ochai Agbaji scored 10.
Stephen Curry scored 39 points for the Warriors, who had a three-game winning streak end in the opener of a three-game road trip. — Reuters
