phgaming NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 35, Thunder turn back Magic

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to teh hoop against the Orlando Magic in the third quarter of an NBA game at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 of his game-high 35 points in the first half, helping guide the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder to a 105-99 win over the Orlando Magic in the NBA on Thursday.

Isaiah Hartenstein chipped in 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Thunder, who won their sixth straight (the NBA Cup final loss to the Milwaukee Bucks does not count in the regular-season standings). Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins and Alex Caruso each added 11 points.

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Anthony Black led Orlando with 23 points off the bench, while Tristan da Silva and Goga Bitadze each added 15. Bitadze had 10 rebounds, while Wendell Carter Jr. tallied 10 points and 13 boards. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 11 points and Mortiz Wagner added 10 for the Magic, who lost their third in a row.

Facing a 19-point halftime deficit, the Magic saw the Thunder’s lead grow to 69-46 on Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup with 11:10 left in the third quarter.

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From there, Carter’s dunk and da Silva’s 3-pointer began a 17-0 Orlando run that lasted until Gilgeous-Alexander’s triple extended the Thunder’s lead to 72-63 with 5:19 left — halting a 5:51 scoreless streak.

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After Cole Anthony’s 3-pointer trimmed Orlando’s deficit to 79-74 with 1:31 remaining in the third, Wiggins’ free throw and Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup pushed Oklahoma City’s lead to eight entering the final quarter.

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Black scored Orlando’s first six points of the fourth quarter, cutting the Magic’s deficit to four with 10:17 remaining and prompting an Oklahoma City timeout. After Wagner’s floater pulled the Magic within three, Williams’ consecutive dunks jump-started a 12-1 Thunder run, pushing the lead to 100-86 with 4:51 left.

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Black and Caldwell-Pope each hit 3-pointers to pull Orlando within six with 16 seconds left, but that’s the closest Orlando got.

With Oklahoma City trailing 21-18, Gilgeous-Alexander’s midrange jumper began a 7-0 sprint to give the Thunder a four-point advantage with 2:31 left in the first quarter. Orlando then answered with a 5-0 spurt, before back-to-back layups by Gilgeous-Alexander helped the Thunder gain a 29-28 lead after the opening quarter.

Oklahoma City’s lead ballooned to 15 with 7:08 left in the second quarter, as Kenrich Williams’ free throws stamped a 12-0 run that included triples from Caruso and Jalen Williams.

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Gilgeous-Alexander then scored the Thunder’s next nine pointsphgaming, as Oklahoma City led by 11 with 1:36 remaining. Wiggins’ triple followed by Cason Wallace’s layup gave the Thunder a 65-46 halftime lead. –Field Level Media

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