Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matched his career high with 45 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to their ninth straight win, 120-114 over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander hit 15 of 22 shots and all 11 free throws as Oklahoma City improved the best record in the Western Conference to 24-5.
Jalen Williams scored 20 points and Isaiah Hartenstein had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder.
Andrew Nembhard scored 23 points and Pascal Siakam added 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.
After Tyrese Haliburton scored to give the Pacers a 107-103 lead, the Thunder answered with an 8-0 run to go ahead 111-107 with 1:39 remaining.
Indiana couldn't overcome an off night by Haliburton, who had just four points. Obi Toppin sprained his left ankle in the first quarter. He returned for four minutes in the second quarter but didn’t play in the second half.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 3 from 26 feet extended the Thunder’s lead to 114-109 with 59 seconds left.
Sleep tight, Thunder fans pic.twitter.com/RgsgzPYkLp
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 27, 2024
Hawks rally with huge 4th quarter
Jalen Johnson had a career-high 30 points and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from a late 21-point deficit by scoring 50 points in the fourth quarter in a 141-133 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Atlanta trailed 124-107 with 6:23 remaining and used a 23-2 run to take its first lead since the opening quarter.
Johnson added 15 rebounds and Trae Young scored 27 points, surpassing 11,000 for his career, and added 13 assists as the Hawks won their second straight.
Zach LaVine scored a season-high 37 points in the loss. Jevon Carter scored 19 of his 26 points in the first quarter as the Bulls lost their third straight despite shooting 54 percent (53 for 98) from the field.
Chicago trailed by seven early before going on a 31-12 run in the first quarter for a 33-21 lead after a period. They held the lead until late in the fourth.
With three minutes to go, Young hit a tying 3-pointer - the first deadlock since the opening quarter - that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. Seconds later, Johnson made a steal down the floor and dunked to give Atlanta the lead.
Call it a Christmas comeback! pic.twitter.com/WitXiDYSSf
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 27, 2024
Herro plays hero for Heat
Tyler Herro drilled a 19-foot jumper with 0.5 seconds left to give the Miami Heat an 89-88 victory over the Orlando Magic.
Jalen Suggs, who scored 29 points for the Magic, missed a long jumper at the buzzer.
Herro finished with 20 points to help the Heat come back from an early 17-point deficit and avenge a loss to the Magic last Friday in which they squandered a 22-point fourth-quarter lead.
Alec Burks scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 15 for Miami, which won its second straight following a three-game skid.
The Heat, who played their third straight game without Jimmy Butler, shot 15 for 30 on 3-pointers and made six in the fourth quarter.
Orlando shot just 5 for 29 from long range with Suggs missing 10 of 12.
A tip-in by Goga Bitadze regained a one-point lead for the Magic with 4.9 seconds left, but they left just enough time for Herro to dribble to an open spot and hit the game-winning shot.
Which angle y’all like better? pic.twitter.com/hXINaLf1Rd
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 27, 2024