The defending NBA champions’ six consecutive victories were halted on Friday when the Nuggets suffered a 119-93 defeat at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an outstanding game, scoring 40 points for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He made 14 of 20 field goals and went 10 for 10 from the free-throw line. This victory propelled the Thunder into second place in the Western Conference with a 21-9 record, surpassing the Nuggets.
The current leaders in the West are the Minnesota team with a 23-7 record. Nikola Jokic, the star player for the Nuggets, contributed 19 points, shooting nine of 10 from the field and grabbing ten rebounds, but also had seven turnovers. The Thunder held a 54-48 lead at halftime and increased their advantage to 20 points by the end of the third quarter. This marked the fifth time this season that Gilgeous-Alexander achieved a 40-point game.
Milwaukee Bucks 119, Cleveland Cavaliers 111
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the scoring with 34 points as the Milwaukee Bucks, currently second in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, came from behind to secure a 119-111 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite trailing 59-52 at halftime, the Bucks dominated the third quarter and concluded a four-game road trip with a 3-1 record.
Antetokounmpo made 14 of 22 field goal attempts, grabbed 16 rebounds, and provided five assists. He received strong support from Damian Lillard, who scored 31 points and made all 11 of his free throws. Donovan Mitchell, returning after missing four games, contributed 34 points, six rebounds, and nine assists for the Cavaliers, who are still missing injured players Evan Mobley and Darius Garland.
Boston Celtics 120, Toronto Raptors 118
The Boston Celtics, who are currently leading the Eastern Conference, maintained their perfect home record by winning their 16th consecutive game with a score of 120-118 against the Toronto Raptors. Jaylen Brown contributed 31 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, while Derrick White scored 21 points and Luke Kornet added 20 points as the Celtics secured their fifth consecutive victory. The game was deadlocked at 116 before Kornet’s dunk with 32 seconds remaining gave Boston the lead, which they held onto until the end.
Philadelphia 76ers 131, Houston Rockets 127
Tyrese Maxey led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 131-127 victory over the Houston Rockets with 42 points, despite the absence of their key players Joel Embiid and Nicolas Batum due to injury. Tobias Harris also contributed 22 points to help secure the win for the 76ers, who handed the Rockets their third consecutive loss.
Sacramento Kings 117, Atlanta Hawks 110
De’Aaron Fox put up 31 points, with 26 of them coming in the second half, leading the Sacramento Kings to a 117-110 victory over the Atlanta Hawks after trailing by 18 points at halftime. Fox had a career-best performance, sinking eight three-pointers in the game.
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