NBA roundup: Thunder rally past Bulls to strengthen lead in Western Conference

[p]Two days after their 12-game winning streak was halted by the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Boston Celtics[/a], the defending champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Thunder[/a] were again on the ropes against the visiting [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-bulls/bPjc49q0/"]Bulls[/a].[/p][p]Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[/a] connected on just eight of 24 shots for the Thunder, who trailed by eight late in the third quarter but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/chicago-bulls-bPjc49q0/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/?mid=zZ8qgpHl"]unleashed a furious 22-0 scoring run to turn it into a blowout[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wallace-cason/K6zUkh2b/"]Cason Wallace[/a] added 21 points for Oklahoma City.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-jalen/4G5tbqUi/"]Jalen Williams[/a] scored 18 and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-ajay/zwwlrGJG/"]Ajay Mitchell[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joe-isaiah/bLTWgNgj/"]Isaiah Joe[/a] added 15 apiece off the bench for the Thunder, who were without All-Star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/holmgren-chet/WxvJz45d/"]Chet Holmgren[/a], who sat out with a bruised hip.[/b][/p][embed guid="e4d20648-e027-45f8-b294-810567b5adfd" url="https://x.com/okcthunder/status/2037720710601208141?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was a key win for the Thunder, who came into the contest with a two-game lead over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio Spurs[/a] for top spot and home court advantage in the Western Conference play-offs.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sexton-collin/4fPIAhiN/"]Collin Sexton[/a] scored 22 points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jones-tre/W6DjEiu5/"]Tre Jones[/a] added 21 for the Bulls.[/p][p]In Boston, the Celtics shook off a sluggish start against the high-flying [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Hawks[/a] to triumph [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/atlanta-hawks-xAO4gBas/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/?mid=UenIxPW7"]109-102[/a].[/p][p]The Hawks, who had won nine of their last 10 games, led by as many as 16 in the first quarter.[/p][p][b]But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pritchard-payton/SWoc4GBt/"]Payton Pritchard[/a]'s 36 points off the bench and 26 points and 12 rebounds from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tatum-jayson/t4Y4e7r0/"]Jayson Tatum[/a] led the hosts' fightback on a night when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-jaylen/l88NjhUb/"]Jaylen Brown[/a] was sidelined by Achilles tendinitis.[/b][/p][p]It was Tatum's highest-scoring performance since he made his season debut this month after recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in last year's play-offs.[/p][p]He scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to help the Celtics seal the comeback and maintain their slim advantage over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-knicks/WCNO4nbt/"]New York Knicks[/a] for second place in the Eastern Conference.[/p][embed guid="d5fd1dd1-ffcd-4b79-ae4f-e1f9d4443265" url="https://x.com/celtics/status/2037709962126995910?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-clippers/vPeTYlqm/"]Los Angeles Clippers[/a], jostling for position in the play-in tournament, got a scare against the league-worst [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/indiana-pacers/YPohMUTt/"]Indiana Pacers[/a].[/p][p]But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leonard-kawhi/d4zqZuLO/"]Kawhi Leonard[/a] drilled a game-winning basket with less than a second remaining in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/indiana-pacers-YPohMUTt/los-angeles-clippers-vPeTYlqm/?mid=MVrAvo2e"]114-113 victory[/a].[/p][p]Leonard finished with 28 points and eight rebounds and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garland-darius/UThxz8nj/"]Darius Garland[/a] scored 30 for the Clippers.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denver-nuggets/CxvW27TI/"]Denver[/a] star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jokic-nikola/dUHaiJ5n/"]Nikola Jokic[/a] delivered another monster triple-double, his 31st of the season, in the Nuggets' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/denver-nuggets-CxvW27TI/utah-jazz-hGuCX5Su/?mid=raCiiOo1"]135-129 victory[/a] over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/utah-jazz/hGuCX5Su/"]Utah Jazz[/a].[/b][/p][p]Jokic tallied 33 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists and point guard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/murray-jamal/Ig5nQrEF/"]Jamal Murray[/a] added 31 points and 14 assists to help the Nuggets tighten their hold on fourth place in the West.[/p][h2]Doncic shines[/h2][p]The third-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Los Angeles Lakers[/a], fuelled by 41 points from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Luka Doncic[/a], beat the lowly [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brooklyn-nets/bsAMUpDO/"]Brooklyn Nets[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/brooklyn-nets-bsAMUpDO/los-angeles-lakers-ngegZ8bg/?mid=G6qI7qWs"]116-99[/a].[/p][p]Doncic could be facing a one-game suspension after being whistled for his 16th technical foul of the season after tangling with Nets forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-ziaire/U3ZVWjQi/"]Ziaire Williams[/a] in the third quarter.[/p][p]A player's 16th technical triggers an automatic one-game ban, something Doncic had already avoided after his last technical foul - in a victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-magic/QZMS36Dn/"]Orlando[/a] last weekend - was rescinded upon league office review.[/p][embed guid="c7533a6f-c56a-4398-92b3-710714470cf8" url="https://x.com/Lakers/status/2037758044076212411?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/golden-state-warriors/SxUtXqch/"]Golden State Warriors[/a], fuelled by 28 points from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/porzingis-kristaps/ILZw0Cng/"]Kristaps Porzingis[/a], got a morale-boosting [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/golden-state-warriors-SxUtXqch/washington-wizards-W6vGWPsn/?mid=4E00k2GD"]131-126 victory[/a] over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/washington-wizards/W6vGWPsn/"]Washington Wizards[/a] despite the continued absence of superstar [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/curry-stephen/xx3787qL/"]Stephen Curry[/a].[/p][p]Curry missed his 24th straight game with a nagging knee injury, and the Warriors said before the contest that he'll miss at least one more - against Denver on Sunday - before being re-evaluated next week.[/p]