Thunder return to winning ways, Nuggets sink Jazz
Oklahoma City gets back to winning ways with 31 points from Gilgeous-Alexander on a key winning day.
Gilgeous-Alexander shoots a three-pointer against the Grizzlies.
Monday's NBA slate was highlighted by wins from the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by a standout performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with victories by the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics.
Here are the highlights from around the basketball league:
Thunder clinch lead
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-103. Powered by the reigning NBA MVP’s 31 points, Oklahoma bounced back after a loss Friday in Minnesota.
"We weren't at our best tonight but we did enough to win -- but we've still got to get better," Gilgeous-Alexander expressed to NBC.
Memphis got off to a bright start, taking a seven-point lead in the first quarter before Oklahoma City took control in the second quarter, according to AFP.
Gilgeous-Alexander was supported by 24 points from Jalen Williams and 16 from Ajay Mitchell.
The Canadian star now has 20 points or more in 100 consecutive games, something only Wilt Chamberlain had accomplished.
"My teammates let me shoot whatever shots I want to out there," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "The coaching staff trust me and I put in the work to get better each and every day."
With that result, Oklahoma City improved its record to 26-3 and remains at the top of the Western Conference. The Thunder will face second-place San Antonio on Tuesday.
Good night for Nuggets and Celtics
In other games Monday, the Denver Nuggets maintained their chase of Oklahoma City in the West with a 135-112 victory over Utah Jazz in Colorado.
The Nuggets (21-7) led the entire game and Nikola Jokić had 14 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists for his 14th triple double of the season and 178th of his career.
In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers at home 103-95 and remain third.
With the victory, Boston improved its record this season to 18 wins and 11 losses. The East leaders, the Detroit Pistons, are 22-6, and the second-place New York Knicks have a 20-8 mark.
Power forward Jaylen Brown was the dominant figure in the game played at the TD Garden, in Boston, with 31 points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes on the court for the locals.
Indiana, meanwhile, is in the fourteenth and penultimate step in the East, with a 6-23 record, only ahead of the Washington Wizards.
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