Oklahoma City Thunder held off a late push from the New York Knicks to secure a 103–100 win Wednesday night, powered by big performances from Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Holmgren finished with 28 points and eight rebounds, tying a career high with six 3-pointers, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 26 points to help Oklahoma City earn its fourth straight victory. Lu Dort chipped in 16 points as the Thunder weathered a Knicks comeback fueled by a 40-point third quarter.
After trailing by as many as 15 in the second half, New York surged back with a 24–9 run to erase the deficit. Jalen Brunson capped the stretch with a fortunate bounce on a 3-pointer to tie the game, and Mikal Bridges drained a late triple to give the Knicks an 80–77 lead heading into the fourth.
Oklahoma City quickly regained control early in the final period and protected a narrow advantage down the stretch. Brunson and OG Anunoby both missed potential game-tying 3-pointers on New York’s final possession.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 17 points and 17 rebounds. Brunson added 16 points and a season-high 15 assists but struggled from the field, shooting 5-for-18. Anunoby also scored 16.
Holmgren set the tone early, pouring in 14 first-quarter points while hitting four 3-pointers. The 7-foot-1 forward went 5-for-7 in the period, with his only two misses coming on jumpers that were blocked.
The Thunder built a 44–31 lead before going scoreless for five minutes, allowing New York to chip away at the deficit. Holmgren eventually snapped the drought with a pair of late 3-pointers, helping Oklahoma City take a 50–40 lead into halftime.
The matchup carried playoff-like intensity in the teams’ first meeting since Oklahoma City’s championship run and a Knicks season that ended two wins short of the NBA Finals. Tensions flared early when New York believed Gilgeous-Alexander should have been called for his third foul after colliding with Brunson, prompting Knicks coach Mike Brown to earn a technical foul.
Up nedt: The Thunder return home to face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, while the Knicks begin a five-game road trip Friday against the Denver Nuggets.
