Josh Giddey’s Oklahoma City have pushed NBA title contenders Boston to the brink, falling simply in need of a second big highway win in as many days.
Giddey (16 factors, seven rebounds, 4 assists) backed up his triple-double towards the New York Knicks barely 24 hours earlier because the Thunder led by as many as 15 within the third quarter.
Boston’s Marcus Smart scored 20 of his 22 factors within the second half, although, as the brand new league leaders prevailed 126-122 for a seventh-straight win.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 37 factors, Lu Dort scored 21 and Aleksej Pokusevski completed with 16 factors and 14 rebounds.
But a 37-26 remaining quarter damage the Thunder, Giddey lacking a triple – he was one-of-six for the evening – with the scores tied and 90 seconds to play.
Smart made one on the different finish and Derrick White nailed one other to provide the hosts the decisive buffer.
The Australian additionally left Boston with a forgettable place on the spotlight reel, throwing his in-bound move into the backboard and turning it over when he tried to catch the ball and move it once more.
The loss leaves the Thunder, the NBA’s youngest staff on common, mid-table within the west with a 6-8 file.
Milwaukee’s 121-106 loss to Atlanta dropped them to 10-3 this season and allowed Boston (11-3) to imagine sole possession of the jap convention and the NBA’s greatest file.
Jock Landale (two factors, three rebounds) was quiet in simply over eight minutes of court docket time for Phoenix, Jimmy Butler blocking Devin Booker’s tried match-winner in a 113-112 loss to Miami.
Bam Adebayo scored 30 factors, together with a pair of free throws to place Miami up for good with 35 seconds left because the Heat rallied again from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Chasing a game-winner, Cameron Payne missed a lay-up, a jumper from Booker was sensationally blocked by Butler after which a three-pointer from Booker fell brief.
Elsewhere, Jordan Poole had 36 factors in Golden States’ defeat of San Antonio, the Toronto snuck previous Detroit, Charlotte beat Orlando and the Los Angeles Clippers acquired the higher of the Houston Rockets.
