Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 141-106 home win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
A night after the Thunder clinched the top spot in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City poured it on early to leave little doubt about the outcome.
Both teams played somewhat short-handed. On the second night of a back-to-back, the Hornets were without LaMelo Ball (right ankle injury management) and Mark Williams (left foot injury management).
Both Ball and Williams played significant roles in Charlotte’s win over the Knicks the night before, combining for 44 points and 19 rebounds.
Oklahoma City was without All-Star Jalen Williams (right hip strain) for the fourth consecutive game and Luguentz Dort (right hip impingement) for the third consecutive game.
The Thunder held the Hornets to just 14 first-quarter points as they built a 20-point lead just 12 minutes into the game. Oklahoma City scored nine points off Charlotte’s six turnovers and held the Hornets to just 5 of 20 shooting from the floor in the opening quarter.
The win was the fifth consecutive for the Thunder, who have lost just one game this season to an Eastern Conference opponent.
Charlotte lost for the third time in four games.
The Hornets rebounded shooting-wise in the second, going 12 of 19 from the floor, but Oklahoma City’s lead didn’t shrink much as the Thunder scored 10 more points off turnovers in the second quarter.
After trailing by as many as 25 points in the first half, Charlotte cut the lead to 10 early in the third quarter. But then the Thunder reeled off 18 consecutive points to put the game out of reach for good. Gilgeous-Alexander had seven points and an assist during the stretch.
Eight different Thunder plates scored 10 or more points, the fourth time since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City that they achieved that feat. Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Wiliams and Isaiah Joe scored 14 each for Oklahoma City, while Isaiah Hartenstein had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Oklahoma City finished with 27 points off 16 Charlotte turnovers.
Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 20 points, while Nick Smith Jr. added 14. They each hit four 3-pointers.
