Thunder hold off Blazers to avenge lone defeat of season
Basketball
By
AFP
| Dec 02, 2025
The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder avenged their only defeat of the season, using a fourth-quarter surge to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 123-115 and improve to 20-1.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points to lead six Thunder players in double figures.
With their 12th straight win, Oklahoma City are off to the best start since the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors opened the season 21-0.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander’s 93rd straight game with at least 20 points is the second-longest such streak behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 126 straight set from October 1961-January 1963. He surpassed a 92-game streak set by Chamberlain from February 1963-March 1964.
Centre Chet Holmgren added 19 points, nine rebounds, three blocked shots and a steal for the Thunder, who opened the final period on an 8-0 scoring run to gain the upper hand in a tense clash that featured 15 lead changes.
READ MORE
Safaricom Sh15b bond a boost for turbulent domestic debt market
China's investment cap leaves State grappling with two toll tariffs
Boardroom misunderstanding: Why billions spent on cybersecurity have yet to pay off
Why your land title may no longer secure you a loan
Revealed: Where Kenyans invest their billions in a tough economy
Mbadi seeks backing for State's privatisation agenda
Tea auction up as sector eyes new markets
Property firm wins award for Sh6 billion affordable housing project
Anxiety as Mombasa port is slapped with surcharges amid ship delays
Why Kenyans have nothing to cheer despite drop in unga prices
OKC suffered their only defeat of the season against the Blazers on November 5, when the Thunder squandered a 22-point lead and fell 121-119 at Portland. The Blazers again put them to the test taking an 87-85 lead into the final period.
Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with a triple-double of 31 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists, but the Thunder wouldn’t be denied.
Aaron Wiggins came up with a steal and a basket to launch the fourth-quarter opening burst. Holmgren produced a massive block then made a layup.
Jalen Williams threw down a dunk, Ajay Mitchell came up with another steal and a layup and suddenly the Thunder had a six-point lead less than two minutes into the final frame.
“(We) got a lot of turnovers in that stretch,” Williams said.