SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to their seventh consecutive win and 60th of the season by scoring 32 points in a 121-105 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. Chet Holmgren contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Alex Caruso added 15 points, helping the Thunder secure their 14th victory in the last 15 games.
Keegan Murray scored 28 points, hitting nine 3-pointers, and Zach LaVine chipped in 19 points for the Kings, who have now lost four games in a row. The Thunder jumped out to a large lead in the first half, reaching 24 points. The Kings managed to score 16 unanswered points early in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to fewer than ten points, but they could never get closer than six for the rest of the game. Oklahoma City then pulled away decisively in the fourth quarter.
Takeaways Thunder: Oklahoma City became the first NBA team to reach 60 wins this season, matching the 2012-13 team’s record for the most wins since the franchise moved from Seattle after the 2007-08 season. The all-time record for wins is 64, set in 1995-96. Kings: Sacramento’s record is now 2-4 in a seven-game homestand, putting them at risk of missing the play-in tournament. They are now tied with Phoenix for ninth place in the Western Conference and hold only a half-game lead over Dallas for the last play-in spot. Key moment The Thunder started the second quarter with a 14-4 run, stretching their lead to 20 points, and they were not seriously challenged after that. Key stat In the first half, Oklahoma City made 12 out of 21 three-point attempts, with eight players hitting at least one shot from beyond the arc.
Next, the Kings will complete their homestand on Thursday night when they play against Portland. Meanwhile, the Thunder will be back at home to take on Memphis on the same day.
