Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 3:34 left, as the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-1) held off the Golden State Warriors (11-11) 124-112 at Chase Center on Tuesday night. Chet Holmgren added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Jalen Williams contributed 22 points and six assists.
Oklahoma City overcame a late Warriors surge, fueled by Brandin Podziemski’s 17 points and Pat Spencer’s 17-point performance. Holmgren’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 6:02 left in the fourth quarter gave the defending champions the lead they would not relinquish.
Seth Curry made his Warriors debut to a warm ovation after re-signing Monday, scoring 14 points while his older brother Stephen Curry remained sidelined with a left quadriceps and muscle strain. Golden State also played without Jimmy Butler in the second half due to a sore left knee.
The Thunder dominated the first half, with Gilgeous-Alexander scoring nine points in the final 1:16 of the second quarter to push Oklahoma City ahead 63-44 at halftime. The Warriors briefly closed the gap in the third on Podziemski’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer, cutting the deficit to 91-88 heading into the fourth.
OKC’s bench made a significant impact, with Holmgren’s shooting and Williams’ playmaking helping the team maintain its 9-2 home record. Golden State struggled to contain the Thunder’s attack, hitting just 43% of field goals and 43% from 3-point range.
The Thunder improved to 21-1, continuing their remarkable start to the season, while the Warriors dropped to 11-11 and faced their third home loss.
Oklahoma City will host Dallas on Friday night, while Golden State begins a three-game road trip Thursday at Philadelphia.
