NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder manhandle short-handed Lakers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in 28 minutes as the Oklahoma City Thunder crushed the Los Angeles Lakers 123-87 on Tuesday in Los Angeles, marking their second win over the Lakers in five days.

The Thunder (63-16) extended their winning streak to six games and have now won 18 of their last 19 contests. They are now just one win—or one San Antonio Spurs loss—away from clinching the top spot in the Western Conference for the third straight season.

Despite missing Luke Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James, the Lakers (50-29) stayed competitive into the second quarter. This was a stark contrast to Thursday’s 43-point loss in Oklahoma City, when the Lakers had their full roster and the Thunder jumped out to a 23-point lead after the first quarter.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles fought back from an early seven-point deficit to tie the game early in the second. However, Oklahoma City responded with a 23-5 run over the final 7:16 of the half, seizing control for good. The Lakers managed just 33.3% shooting in the second quarter.

Gilgeous-Alexander set the tone early, going 4-of-5 from the floor, scoring 11 points, and dishing out five assists in the opening quarter. By the early third quarter, the game was largely decided, leaving the only question whether Gilgeous-Alexander could extend his NBA record for most consecutive games with 20 or more points. A 3-pointer nearly seven minutes into the third pushed the Thunder’s lead to 27.

He finished the night in style, scoring on three consecutive possessions before leaving the game with more than a minute remaining in the third. It was the 25th time this season he sat out the entire fourth quarter. He ended with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, along with eight assists and two steals.

Chet Holmgren added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain came off the bench to score 18 and 15 points, respectively. Joe was 6-of-9 from three-point range and has made 14 of 21 shots from beyond the arc in the last three games.

For the Lakers, Rui Hachimura led the scoring with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. No other player scored more than 11. The loss dropped Los Angeles a game behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, marking their third straight defeat.

—Field Level Media/Reuters