Shai Gilgeous-Alexander secured a crucial victory for the Oklahoma City Thunder with a clutch fallaway jumper, propelling them to a 113-112 win over the New York Knicks and clinching a playoff spot. This marks Oklahoma City’s first playoff appearance since 2020 when they fell to the Houston Rockets in the first round.
In the final moments of the game, Gilgeous-Alexander dribbled past Miles McBride and sank a deep shot from the left corner, giving the Thunder the lead with only 2.6 seconds remaining. Subsequently, the Thunder’s defense held firm, preventing the Knicks from scoring as time expired.
Josh Giddey contributed a triple-double with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Jalen Williams led the scoring with 33 points for Oklahoma City. On the other side, Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 30 points.
In other NBA action, Luka Doncic’s stellar performance led the Dallas Mavericks to a 125-107 victory over the Houston Rockets. Doncic tied his career high with nine 3-pointers and finished with 47 points, supported by Kyrie Irving’s 24 points.
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic’s triple-double guided the Denver Nuggets to a convincing 130-101 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jokic contributed 26 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added a season-high 22 points for Denver.
In a thrilling encounter, the Golden State Warriors edged past the short-handed San Antonio Spurs with a 117-113 victory. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 33 points, while Draymond Green recorded 21 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, and six steals.
LeBron James delivered a spectacular performance, scoring 40 points and hitting nine 3-pointers to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Cam Thomas paced the Nets with 30 points in a losing effort.
Additionally, the Miami Heat defeated the Washington Wizards 119-107 behind Terry Rozier’s 27-point performance. Jimmy Butler contributed 17 points for the Heat, while Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 22 points.
DeMar DeRozan propelled the Chicago Bulls to a 109-101 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves with 27 points and eight assists. Alex Caruso added 21 points, shooting 7-for-8 from beyond the arc, for the Bulls.
Lastly, the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 127-106 win over the struggling Utah Jazz, with Harrison Barnes and Keegan Murray combining for 49 points. DeAaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis registered double-doubles to help secure the victory for Sacramento.