Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points and the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans 104-95 on Tuesday night to avoid their first three-game skid of the season.
Chet Holmgren had 20 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks for NBA-best Oklahoma City (38-10), which had lost back-to-back home games for the first time this season. Isaiah Joe added 17 points.
The Thunder were missing starters Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein and Cason Wallace and key reserve Alex Caruso with injuries.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot 8 of 22 from the field but went 13 of 14 from the foul line. He scored at least 20 points for the 118th consecutive game, the second-longest streak in NBA history.
Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 11 rebounds. Saddiq Bey added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Pelicans, who had won two straight.
Tempers flared in the closing minutes. First, Bey and Jaylin Williams got tangled up and were assessed technical fouls. With 9 seconds left, Jeremiah Fears, who played in college at Oklahoma, and Lu Dort grabbed each other’s jerseys before being separated. Fears then ran after Dort and players from both teams had to be separated.
The Thunder missed their first eight shots while New Orleans started 1 of 9.
Dort’s 3-pointer with 10.9 seconds left in the second quarter gave the Thunder a 48-46 lead at halftime.
The Thunder took a 74-64 lead on a 3-pointer by Holmgren with 3:38 left in the third. A 3 by Dort made it 88-73.
The Pelicans went on a 14-2 run capped by Fears’ 22-foot bank shot to cut the lead to 92-87. Dort’s fourth 3-pointer made it 98-87 with 3:26 remaining.
Up next
Pelicans: Host Memphis on Friday night.
Thunder: At Minnesota on Thursday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
By TIM WILLERT
Associated Press