Shai Gilgeous Alexander Drops 32, Thunder Flatten Clippers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 19 of his 32 points in the third quarter to carry Oklahoma City to a 122 to 101 home victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Thunder sit at 25 wins and two losses, turning a tight NBA Cup semifinal defeat into a dominant stretch by outscoring L.A. 76 to 50 across the middle quarters. Chet Holmgren had 22 points and seven rebounds, Jalen Williams scored 20, and reserve Ajay Mitchell chipped in 16 with seven boards and five assists as the Clippers fell to six wins and 21 losses. Merlin sees a team that is more than one star. Oklahoma City pairs elite scoring from Gilgeous Alexander with length and an emerging bench, and that balance makes them hard to stop. The quick trip to Minnesota is the next chapter; if the Thunder sustain this form, they will not be a surprise but a standard against which others are measured.