Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops 48 as Thunder top Pistons

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MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander submits his 12th 40-point game of the season for the Thunder, who have won nine of their last 10 games

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 48 points and the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder outlasted the host Detroit Pistons, 113-107, on Saturday, March 15 (Sunday, March 16, Manila time).

Cason Wallace had 20 points and Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 with 10 rebounds for the Thunder (55-12), who have won nine of their last 10.

Detroit All-Star Cade Cunningham was ejected late in the third quarter for arguing with the officials. He finished with 11 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds.

The Pistons were assessed a total of five technicals in the quarter.

Tobias Harris led the Pistons (37-31) with 18 points, while Dennis Schroder supplied 17 points and 11 assists.

The Thunder played without two starters. Forward Jalen Williams missed the game due to a hip strain, while big man Chet Holmgren was rested.

Oklahoma City built an 11-point lead in the first seven minutes. The Pistons nearly erased it before the quarter ended, going on an 11-1 run.

Malik Beasley gave Detroit the lead at 26-24 early in the second quarter with a three-pointer. The Pistons soon built the advantage to 36-26.

That was the Pistons’ largest lead of the half. The Thunder gradually cut into it and Gilgeous-Alexander’s jumper tied it with 2:14 remaining in the quarter. His three-point play with 1:38 left put Oklahoma City on top 53-52.

The Thunder led 55-54 at the break behind Gilgeous-Alexander’s 20 points.

He scored the first points of the second half on a three-point shot, and his jumper with 8:11 left in the quarter gave Oklahoma City a 10-point advantage.

After Detroit cut the deficit in half, the Thunder had a 6-0 spurt for a 77-66 advantage. Gilgeous-Alexander made three free throws after the technicals to Cunningham and another to Schroder with 47 seconds left in the quarter. The Thunder had a 91-77 lead when the quarter ended.

The Pistons went on an 8-0 run early in the fourth to pull within 6. When Beasley buried a three-pointer with 4:16 remaining, Oklahoma City’s lead was down to one.

Gilgeous-Alexander answered with a three-pointer. A couple more baskets by the Thunder star made it 106-100. After a Pistons basket, he set up Wallace for a three-pointer. – Rappler.com