OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 in three quarters, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks 132-111 on Friday night to claim their 14th straight win.
Gilgeous-Alexander made 10 of 12 field goals and 11 of 12 free throws to help the Thunder improve to 22-1 overall. He scored at least 20 points for the 95th straight game, the second-longest streak in league history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 126 straight from 1961 to 1963.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said Gilgeous-Alexander’s lethal efficiency on offense is a reflection of his steady improvement over eight seasons in the NBA.
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“He’s got a lot of experiences,” Daigneault said. “I think a 23-game playoff run [last season] was informative for everybody, including him. And he kind of channels all that into his work, which is ruthlessly consistent and very focused. So all he’s ever done is improve. You know, so at this point, as great of a player as he is, it’s not surprising when it gets even better.”
Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each scored 15 points for the Thunder, who rolled without injured starters Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein. Oklahoma City shot 56% from the field and made 26 of 28 free throws.
Dallas, though, also dealing with several injuries, had won three straight. Star rookie Cooper Flagg, who averaged 27 points during the winning streak, scored 16 on Friday.
Jaden Hardy led Dallas with 23 points. He made 8 of 13 field goals, including 5 of 9 3-pointers. Naji Marshall added 18 points for the Mavericks.
Dallas’ Anthony Davis, who averaged 20.6 points before Friday night, did not score in the first three quarters. He finally scored on a layup with just over eight minutes remaining. He finished with two points on 1-for-9 shooting, though he had eight rebounds and six assists.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points in the first half to help Oklahoma City take a 63-48 lead at the break. The Thunder took charge in the third, outscoring the Mavericks 41-26 to go up 104-74 heading into the fourth. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 points in the quarter, making 5 of 6 field goals and all four free throw attempts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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