Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered another dominant performance, scoring 33 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder (64-12, 1st in West) triumphed 119-103 over the short-handed Detroit Pistons (42-34, 5th in East) on Wednesday night. The Thunder’s victory extended their impressive win streak to 11 games.
Oklahoma City’s offense was firing on all cylinders, with Jalen Williams adding 23 points and Chet Holmgren contributing 22 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks. The victory strengthened their lead in the Western Conference, as they now hold a three-game advantage over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the race for the league’s best record with just six games remaining.
Despite missing key players, including All-Star Cade Cunningham due to a bruised left calf, Detroit showed resilience. Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Pistons with 23 points, filling the gap left by Cunningham’s absence. However, the Pistons were also missing three players due to suspensions stemming from an altercation with the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier in the week.
The game got off to a fast start, with the Thunder leading 41-27 after the first quarter. Lu Dort’s tip-in at the halftime buzzer extended Oklahoma City’s lead to 65-59, and they never looked back. The Thunder came out of the break on a 10-0 run, establishing a commanding 75-59 lead.
Detroit tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, trimming the deficit to just four points. However, the Thunder closed out the game strong, with Dort’s 3-pointer rattling in to give Oklahoma City a 112-103 lead with three minutes left. Detroit’s 18 turnovers compared to Oklahoma City’s 10 were costly, as the Pistons struggled to keep pace.
The Thunder’s depth was on full display, with multiple players stepping up in the absence of key contributors like Alex Caruso and Jaylin Williams. Cason Wallace also played a pivotal role, contributing 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
