Red-hot Thunder overturn Clippers for 13 straight win

MANILA, Philippines — Hot as a firecracker. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder continued rolling, winning their 13th straight game after blasting the Los Angeles Clippers, 116-98, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma on Friday (Manila time). 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powered the Thunder with 29 points, eight assists, three rebounds and two steals. Jalen Williams added 18 markers, four dimes, three boards, two steals and a swat.

Los Angeles led by 16 points in the first half, 40-24, before the home team recovered and cut the lead to four, 48-52, heading into the second half.

An Ivica Zubac layup early in the third quarter tied the game up at 57, as the two teams traded baskets. 

However, Oklahoma City unleashed a backbreaking 12-5 run to take a 79-62 lead. 

Consecutive jumpers by Kris Dunn and Amir Coffey made it a 12-point deficit, 67-79, but the Thunder outscored the Clippers 11-5 once again to push the lead to 18, 90-72.

The home team did not squander the lead, as their advantage went to as high as 28 points, 196-78, after a Kenrich Williams triple.

Isaiah Hartenstein and Ajay Mitchell had 11 apiece for the 28-5 Thunder. The former filled up the statsheet with nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal, while the latter sank two 3-pointers.

Coffey led the 19-15 Clippers with 26 points, three rebounds and two assists. The visitors played without star James Harden, who was out with a right groin soreness. Mo Bamba added 12 points, while Kevin Porter Jr. and Ivica Zubac chipped in 11 markers apiece. 

Over in Minnesota, the Boston Celtics squeaked past the Timberwolves, 118-115. 

Jayson Tatum erupted for a near triple-double of 33 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to go with three steals. Derrick White added 26 markers as he stepped up on the absence of Jaylen Brown. 

Boston led by 14, 68-54, early on in the third quarter after a 3-pointer by White. 

The Wolves, though, stormed back and tied it up at 94 in the fourth quarter after a 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo.

Neemias Queta finished an alley-oop play to push Boston ahead anew, but Nickeil Alexander-Walker answered with a triple of his own to give Minnesota the one point advantage, 97-96.

Tatum and Anthony Edwards then traded buckets, before White and Queta gave Boston a 105-100 lead with 5:47 left. 

Julius Randle hit a triple to cut the lead to two, 103-105, but a 7-1 run capped by a Tatum jumper changed the complexion of the game, 112-104, with 4:20 remaining.

Naz Reid and DiVincenzo tried to power Minnesota back into it, cutting the lead to three, 115-118, with about 28 ticks to go. 

Tatum missed a jumper for the dagger, giving the Wolves another chance at tying it up. But Edwards missed a triple that would have tied the game, giving the win to the Celtics. 

Sam Hauser had 15 points for the defending champions, while Jrue Holiday had 11 markers and eight dimes. 

Randle finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Reid registered 20 points, five rebounds and three assists. Edwards was held to just 15 markers, six dimes and four boards on 5-of-16 shooting. 

In Milwaukee, the Brooklyn Nets survived a furious rally by the Bucks to win, 113-110. 

The Nets led by as much as 24 points and were ahead by 21 in the fourth quarter, before Milwaukee exploded and cut the lead to one, 110-111, after a clutch layup by Damian Lillard. 

A pair of free throws by Ziare Williams made it 113-110, and Lillard had chances to tie the game up but missed. 

Cam Johnson paced Brooklyn with 26 points and five rebounds, while Cam Thomas scored 24 off the bench. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo chalked up 27 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, while Lillard tallied 23 markers, seven dimes and three boards. 

The Indiana Pacers also bested the Miami Heat in Florida, 128-115, off a 33- point, 15-assist and five-rebound performance by Tyrese Haliburton.

Kel’el Ware recorded 25 points for Miami.