NBA roundup: Thunder edge Nuggets in overtime to mark Gilgeous-Alexander's return

[p]Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Gilgeous-Alexander[/a] scored 36 points in just under 34 minutes on the floor, sitting out overtime after missing nine games with an abdominal strain.[/p][p][b]"Felt good," [/b]Gilgeous-Alexander said.[b] "I'm just thankful to be back."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/murray-jamal/Ig5nQrEF/"]Jamal Murray[/a] scored 39 points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jokic-nikola/dUHaiJ5n/"]Nikola Jokic[/a] scored 23 points with 17 rebounds and 14 assists for the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denver-nuggets/CxvW27TI/"]Nuggets[/a], who [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/denver-nuggets-CxvW27TI/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/?mid=Wva2l3J6"]led by as many as 16 in a tense, physical battle[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Thunder[/a] forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dort-luguentz/rFioGfiI/"]Luguentz Dort[/a] was ejected for a flagrant foul after he tripped Jokic, sparking a shoving match that saw Jokic and Oklahoma City's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-jaylin/jD1xaPEo/"]Jaylin Williams[/a] receive technical fouls.[/p][embed guid="747da23e-8aac-4858-be75-88547d6f5753" url="https://x.com/i/status/2027622794540794125" social-type="twitter" /][p]Trailing 83-77 going into the fourth quarter, the Thunder had edged ahead 107-105 with 1:23 left in regulation before Jokic tied it with 38 seconds remaining.[/p][p]Denver's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/braun-christian/UcXMj2lo/"]Christian Braun[/a] came up with a big block on Gilgeous-Alexander and they went to overtime, Oklahoma City scoring the first five points in the extra session and hanging on for the win to maintain their two-game lead over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio Spurs[/a] atop the Western Conference.[/p][p][b]"It was a great game," [/b]said Thunder center Chet Holmgren.[b] "You want to play against the best players, the best teams, and they brought the intensity tonight."[/b][/p][embed guid="58401f74-0fb6-47fe-8444-a54dda0b8685" url="https://x.com/i/status/2027622973947904371" social-type="twitter" /][p]Eastern Conference leaders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit[/a] also fought to a gritty overtime victory, topping the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/cleveland-cavaliers-xGk13Tb6/detroit-pistons-UcjMRj6J/?mid=IyZSZ34D"]122-119[/a].[/p][p]The Cavs led by nine with less than three minutes left in regulation, but the Pistons clawed back and tied it on three free throws from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jenkins-dannis/xzVAqNCs/"]Daniss Jenkins[/a] - who managed to fire up a half-court heave as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tyson-jaylon/zcJQTDdE/"]Jaylon Tyson[/a] intentionally fouled him.[/p][p]Detroit scored the first six points of overtime and held on for the win.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duren-jalen/xva6ve5b/"]Jalen Duren[/a] led the Pistons with 33 points and 16 rebounds. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cunningham-cade/0YleT8PG/"]Cade Cunningham[/a] added 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists before fouling out late.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/allen-jarrett/YFCdDdo1/"]Jarrett Allen[/a] led Cleveland with 25 points. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mobley-evan/SrZZLQHj/"]Evan Mobley[/a] added 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavs, who were without recently acquired [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harden-james/zm5V3CZo/"]James Harden[/a] and top scorer [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-donovan/hhFqipLe/"]Donovan Mitchell[/a].[/b][/p][p]Harden missed a second straight game with a broken thumb and Mitchell was sidelined again with a groin strain.[/p][p]The Pistons improved to 43-14 and hold a five-game lead over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Boston Celtics[/a] atop the East.[/p][embed guid="0a492370-7eb4-43a1-9ec8-a65246446b45" url="https://x.com/DetroitPistons/status/2027597162985496948?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Celtics crush Nets[/h2][p]The Celtics bounced back from a sluggish loss to the Nuggets in Denver in emphatic style, connecting on 66.7 per cent of their shots from the field in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/brooklyn-nets-bsAMUpDO/?mid=YqHFc7dK"]148-111[/a] home blowout over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brooklyn-nets/bsAMUpDO/"]Brooklyn Nets[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-jaylen/l88NjhUb/"]Jaylen Brown[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vucevic-nikola/4plgqjlj/"]Nikola Vucevic[/a] scored 28 points apiece and the Celtics drilled 22 three-pointers on 34 attempts.[/p][p][b]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-knicks/WCNO4nbt/"]New York Knicks[/a] cruised to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/milwaukee-bucks-QTBEW6rC/new-york-knicks-WCNO4nbt/?mid=UF2ohoKs"]127-98[/a] victory over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-bucks/QTBEW6rC/"]Bucks[/a] in Milwaukee to remain 1.5 games behind the Celtics in the race for second in the East.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brunson-jalen/YLRvL3v7/"]Jalen Brunson[/a] scored 27 points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anunoby-og-ogugua/jiNJMxEa/"]OG Anunoby[/a] added 24 for the Knicks, who had seven players score in double figures as they rebounded from a disappointing loss to the Cavs.[/p][p]The Bucks had won eight of their prior 10 games to move within one game of the East's final play-in berth.[/p][p]With Greek star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antetokounmpo-giannis/zw2Tm2a1/"]Giannis Antetokounmpo[/a] still sidelined by a calf strain, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/turner-myles/AuCbg8GU/"]Myles Turner[/a] led the Bucks with 19 points.[/p][p]That included 18 in the first quarter, but the Knicks - fueled by Brunson's 22 in the first period - seized control and were up 77-57 at half-time, pushing the lead to as many as 32.[/p]