NBA: Thunder crush short-handed Spurs

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points to lead the host Oklahoma City Thunder to a 127-89 blowout win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.

Oklahoma City (55-25) has won three consecutive games and is in second place in the Western Conference with two games remaining.

The Spurs (20-60) have lost four of their past six. San Antonio has lost at least 60 games for just the fourth time in franchise history and the second consecutive season.

The Spurs were playing without star rookie Victor Wembanyama due to right ankle injury management.

Without Wembanyama, San Antonio quickly slipped into a big hole.

The Thunder scored the first 11 points of the game as the Spurs missed their first seven shots.

All of the Spurs’ 11 first-quarter points came during a span of less than three minutes.

After that scoring stretch, Oklahoma City finished with a 19-0 run to grab control for good.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey each equaled San Antonio’s scoring output in the first quarter.

Giddey finished with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Outside of Zach Collins, who scored nine of the Spurs’ first-quarter points, San Antonio was just 1-of-18 from the floor.

The Thunder’s lead surged as many as 36 in the first half, and by halftime, Chet Holmgren’s night was done.

The rookie had nine points and six rebounds in the first half before Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault sat him down for rest on the second night of a back-to-back set.

Collins led the Spurs, who shot a season-low 33.3 percent from the floor, with 20 points.

Gordon Hayward, who missed the past two games with leg soreness, had his best scoring game since being traded to Oklahoma City.

Hayward had 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

The Thunder were without Luguentz Dort, who missed the second night of the back-to-back set due to rest. — Field Level Media/Reuters