Australia’s Josh Giddey continued his streak with another double-double as his Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the injury-hit San Antonio Spurs 127-89.
Giddey had 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 29 minutes in the blowout 7-12 shooting victory, with the Thunder up 23 points after the first quarter.
The Spurs were without superstar Victor Wembanyama and never made the competition, with Zach Collins their leading scorer with 20 points and seven rebounds. The Spurs managed just 35 points on 28.6 percent shooting in the first half – the Thunder’s best defensive record in a half this season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder with 26 points in just 26 minutes, after scoring 40 the night before, but OKC was more than happy to bench its starters midway through the third quarter – he This was his third match in four. nights.
The win was Oklahoma City’s 55th of the season, the first time they reached that mark since 2015-16.
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It also keeps their slim hopes of winning the number one seed in the West alive, with two games still to play.
Giddey spoke about his impressive form after the win, comparing it to his struggles earlier in the season.
He said: “The problem for me earlier in the year was that I was sort of predetermined to do something (in matches) and I thought that was what was hurting me. Going in with a plan is not the right way to do it because defenses will give you different looks.
“I’ve seen different coverages…not going in with a plan, just taking what the defense gives me – whether it’s scoring, rebounding, pushing the ball in transition, getting looks from others guys.
“It’s about taking the game as it comes and playing each possession alone.
“I thought earlier in the year that sometimes I would already have this idea of what I was going to do before the game, but now I have relaxed, let the game come to me and I take every possession at as it comes.”
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic scored 41 points as the Denver Nuggets reclaimed pole position in the Western Conference playoff race with a 116-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in their top-of-the-table clash on Wednesday .
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In a hard-fought showdown in Denver that saw the lead change hands 15 times, the Nuggets finally pulled away in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
The result means defending NBA champion Denver leads the Western Conference by one game with two regular season games remaining.
With their last opponents, Memphis and San Antonio, low ranked, Denver (56-24) is now the big favorite to finish at the top of the West and seal the No. 1 seed and home field advantage until the playoffs.
“We found a way to win, our defense in the fourth quarter was incredible,” Jokic told ESPN, before downplaying Denver’s return to the top.
“It’s important to be honest, but the West is really, really, really harsh. We could face the Los Angeles Lakers or Golden State in the first round – they’re all good teams.
Jokic, who also had 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals, was supported by 20 points from Jamal Murray while Michael Porter Jr. added 18.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s scoring with 25 points while Mike Conley added 19. Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid finished with 13 points each.
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Minnesota’s loss dropped them to third place in the West behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. Although the Timberwolves and OKC have identical records of 55-25 with two games remaining, the Thunder hold the tiebreaker thanks to the best division record.
Oklahoma City moved into second place on Wednesday after beating the San Antonio Spurs 127-89, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 26 points in a 38-point loss to the bottom-ranked Spurs (20-60).
THE SUNS BOUNCE
The Phoenix Suns bounced back from their 105-92 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday with a comprehensive 124-108 away victory in the second leg.
Devin Booker’s 37-point effort led Phoenix to the victory with Kevin Durant adding 24 and Bradley Beal 26.
The win leaves Phoenix with a chance to reach the automatic playoff spots with two games remaining.
The seventh-place Suns are 47-33, just behind New Orleans, which occupies the final automatic playoff spot in the West in sixth with a 47-32 record.
Despite the win, Booker believes Phoenix still has plenty of room for improvement heading into the playoffs.
“I don’t know if that was a good response,” Booker said. “I think we still started the match a little slowly. This has been our problem all season.
Phoenix’s victory means Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers must go through the draft to earn a playoff spot.
Knicks secure playoff berth
The Dallas Mavericks earned their fifth straight victory with a 111-92 loss to the Miami Heat. Luka Doncic scored 29 points for Dallas, a result that helped the New York Knicks clinch a playoff spot in the East.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks shrugged off the disappointment of losing Giannis Antetokounmpo to injury on Tuesday to defeat the Orlando Magic 117-99.
Bobby Portis weighed in with a 30-point performance while Damian Lillard added 29 for the Bucks, who are closing in on the No. 2 seed in the East with two regular-season games remaining.
The win allowed Bucks coach Doc Rivers to sing the praises of Portis and guard Patrick Beverley, who finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
“They’re both weirdos, in a very good way,” Rivers said of Portis and Beverley. “I like guys like them who can be like that and still be under control. They give energy to the team, they are natural instigators.
“It’s not wrong, it’s what they do. But they don’t try to do it, they just do it. Having guys like that on your team is invaluable.
