Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned to the lineup and delivered a dominant performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to a 141-106 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s leading scorer at 33.0 points per game, finished with 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting, along with six rebounds and nine assists. He sat out the fourth quarter as the Thunder secured their fifth consecutive win.
Oklahoma City (58-12) clinched the top seed in the Western Conference after Milwaukee’s victory over the Lakers on Thursday. The team improved to 26-1 against Eastern Conference opponents this season.
Chet Holmgren contributed 14 points, five rebounds, and three blocks, while Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points and 10 boards. Despite missing starters Lu Dort and Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City controlled the game from the start.
Charlotte (18-52) struggled to keep up despite making 19 of 41 three-pointers. Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 20 points, and Nick Smith Jr. added 14, but their efforts weren’t enough to avoid the team’s sixth loss by 30 or more points in the last month.
The Thunder built a 66-49 halftime lead after Kenrich Williams banked in a deep three at the buzzer. Charlotte briefly closed the gap to 75-65 in the third quarter, but Oklahoma City responded with a 20-3 run, putting the game out of reach.
Oklahoma City dominated inside, outscoring Charlotte 64-26 in the paint. The team also shot 57.4% from the field and 53.8% from three-point range, further highlighting its efficiency.
