Gilgeous-Alexander scores 39 as Thunder beat Knicks 126-101

NEW YORK (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 39 points in 29 minutes, and the Oklahoma City Thunder emphatically bounced back to rout the New York Knicks 126-101 on Friday night in the first game since their 15-game winning streak was snapped.

Isaiah Joe added 23 of his 31 points in the first half for the Thunder, who were coming off a 129-122 loss at NBA-leading Cleveland on Wednesday in the biggest game of the season thus far. There was no hangover at Madison Square Garden, where Oklahoma City had a 36-12 run in the first half en route to a 70-43 lead.

Jalen Brunson scored 27 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 in the Knicks’ fourth loss in five games, a stretch that began when the Thunder used a big fourth quarter to win 117-107 last Friday and snap New York’s nine-game winning streak.

No big finish needed this time. The Thunder had the game in hand by halftime.

PACERS 108, WARRIORS 96

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam each scored 25 points to help Indiana race past Golden State.

Haliburton added 10 assists and Siakam also had 10 rebounds as Indiana won its fifth straight to match its longest streak of the season.

Golden State was led by former Pacers star Buddy Hield who had 17 points. Pat Spencer scored a season high 17 as the Warriors sat six players on their second game in two nights, including All-Star Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins.

Coach Steve Kerr said Green was bothered by a back injury and Curry had a bad knee.

Indiana took control with a 17-2 second quarter run that turned a 30-29 deficit into a 46-31 lead. Golden State never led again but cut the halftime deficit to five and closed within three early in the third quarter.

But the Pacers had an answer every time Golden State got close.

PELICANS 123, 76ERS 115

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 38 points to lead a New Orleans team playing without the suspended Zion Williamson past Philadelphia.

Williamson was suspended for one game for a violation of team policies, that included repeated lateness to practices or flights. The Pelicans also played without forward and top defensive player Herb Jones. Jones is sidelined indefinitely with a posterior labrum tear in his right shoulder.

McCollum was enough for the eight-win Pelicans to topple a 76ers team that played without All-Star center Joel Embiid. Embiid missed his third straight game because of a sprained left foot. He has sat out 23 times this season.

Paul George had 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Sixers. Tyrese Maxey had 30 points and 12 assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 21 points.

KINGS 114, CELTICS 97

BOSTON (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and a career-high 28 rebounds and Sacramento used a fourth quarter rally to beat Boston.

The victory extended Sacramento’s season-high win streak to six games. It was Sabonis’ 33rd double-double of the season and 24th game of his career with 20 or more rebounds. Entering Friday, the NBA’s previous high for rebounds in a game this season was 23 by San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama.

DeMar DeRozan added 24 points and nine assists, and Malik Monk finished with 22 points and eight assists.

Boston has lost two of its last three.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 28 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Jayson Tatum had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

The game was tied at 76 after three quarters. Sacramento then took command, opening the fourth on a 24-9 run to take a 100-85 lead with 6:03 to play.

BUCKS 109, MAGIC 106

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 41 points and 14 rebounds and Milwaukee beat Orlando in spite of 34 points by the Magic’s Paolo Banchero in his long-awaited return from an injury.

Damian Lillard added 29 points for the Bucks, including a couple of free throws with 9.3 seconds left for the game’s final points.

Playing for the first time since tearing his right oblique on Oct. 30, Banchero also had seven rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes. He made 5 of 8 3-point shots.

Cole Anthony had 18 points and seven rebounds for Orlando and Tristan da Silva had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Bobby Portis came off Milwaukee’s bench to score 11 points and grab seven rebounds.

BULLS 138, WIZARDS 105

CHICAGO (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 33 points and Chicago beat Washington.

Nikola Vučević had 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Coby White and Jalen Smith each scored 15 points for the Bulls. Chicago got its fifth win in seven games and evened a 125-107 loss to the Wizards on Jan. 1.

LaVine had 18 points in the first half to help Chicago take control.

Jordan Poole, who missed three straight games with a left hip contusion, returned and led the Wizards with 22 points. Jared Butler added 18 points for Washington, which dropped to an NBA-worst 6-30.

The Bulls spotted their guests the opening basket but took the lead for good a few possessions later. Up 68-58 at halftime, they turned the game into a rout with a 9-0 run midway through the third quarter.

NUGGETS 124, NETS 105

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds in his return to the lineup, Russell Westbrook had 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists and Denver beat Brooklyn.

It was the 145th career triple-double for Jokic, who missed Denver’s previous two games due to an illness.

It was Westbrook’s 202nd career triple-double. It was the second time this season they have had triple-doubles in the same game.

Westbrook has the most career NBA triple-doubles and Jokic is third. Oscar Robertson is second with 181.

Ben Simmons played for the first time since Jan. 1 and had 10 points and six assists for Brooklyn, which has dropped four straight and 12 of its last 15. Keon Johnson had 22 points and Tyrese Martin had 19 points for Brooklyn.

The Nuggets used a late second-quarter run to take the lead for good, then opened the second half with a 25-9 spurt that made it 90-68.

The Nets rallied in the fourth quarter and got within 97-92 before Denver pulled away.

The Associated Press