NBA roundup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led Thunder top Pistons in OT
Tue Mar 31 3:02am ET
Field Level Media
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 47 points to lift the host Oklahoma City Thunder to a 114-110 overtime win over the short-handed Detroit Pistons on Monday in a matchup of conference leaders.
Gilgeous-Alexander opened overtime with a step-back jumper, found Alex Caruso for a corner 3-pointer with just more than a minute remaining and then hit six free throws in the final minute. Oklahoma City won for the 15th time in 16 games.
Detroit was short-handed, playing without its top five scorers, but the Pistons stayed in the game in large part due to a 16-4 advantage in second-chance points.
The Pistons, who got 21 points and 10 rebounds from Paul Reed, had their two-game winning streak snapped.
Spurs 129, Bulls 114
Victor Wembanyama continued his brilliant play by racking up 41 points and 16 rebounds while helping host San Antonio to a victory over Chicago in a late-season interconference clash.
The Spurs won for a league-leading ninth straight outing and kept pace with Oklahoma City in the hunt for the best record in both the Western Conference and the NBA as a whole. It was Wembanyama's third game with 40 or more points this season. Stephon Castle added 21 points for San Antonio while Keldon Johnson scored 15.
Tre Jones led Chicago with 23 points. Leonard Miller added 21 off the bench, Collin Sexton had 20, Guerschon Yabusele hit for 15 points and Matas Buzelis finished with 12 for the Bulls, who have already been eliminated from the postseason.
Heat 119, 76ers 109
Tyler Herro hit two key 3-pointers, Bam Adebayo recorded a 23-point, 16-rebound double-double in a head-to-head with Joel Embiid, and Miami came on strong down the stretch to turn back visiting Philadelphia.
Herro finished with a game-high 30 points and Pelle Larsson added 20 for the Heat, who moved into a virtual eighth-place tie in the Eastern Conference with Orlando.
Embiid had a team-high 26 points and Tyrese Maxey 23 for the 76ers, who remained in seventh place in the East but saw their lead over the Heat and Magic cut to 1 1/2 games.
Hawks 112, Celtics 102
Jalen Johnson collected 20 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as Atlanta extended its home winning streak to 13 games with a victory over Boston.
Atlanta received 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists from Onyeka Okongwu, plus 18 points from Dyson Daniels. The Hawks have won 16 of their past 18 games.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, but he shot 9 of 29 from the field and committed six turnovers. Luka Garza added 20 points and nine boards for the Celtics, and Payton Pritchard finished with 16 points.
Suns 131, Grizzlies 105
Devin Booker scored 36 points while playing just three quarters and Jalen Green added 21 points and six boards as visiting Phoenix trounced Memphis.
The Suns won their second straight by closing strong, outscoring the Grizzlies 40-16 in the final quarter. The Suns were dominant in the paint, where they scored 68 points.
Memphis got 17 points off the bench from Tyler Burton but lost for the 14th time in 16 games. Cam Spencer scored 16 on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-5 success from long range.
Lakers 120, Wizards 101
LeBron James posted the 125th triple-double of his career while leading Los Angeles to a comprehensive win over visiting Washington.
James compiled 21 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists to become, at 41 years, 90 days, the oldest player to notch a triple-double, surpassing his own record of 41 years, 79 days. It was his third triple-double of the season. Austin Reaves, Jaxson Hayes and Luke Kennard contributed 19 points apiece for the Lakers, who have won 15 of their past 17 games.
Will Riley scored 20 points, Justin Champagnie added 18 and Tristan Vukcevic had 14 for Washington, which has lost 19 of its past 20 outings.
Cavaliers 122, Jazz 113
Evan Mobley scored a season-high 34 points, collected a season-high 17 rebounds and blocked three shots to lead Cleveland past Utah in Salt Lake City.
Donovan Mitchell added 34 points to help the Cavaliers win their fifth consecutive road game. James Harden dished out a game-high 14 assists to go along with 13 points, and The Cavaliers outscored the Jazz 82-40 in the paint.
Kyle Filipowski tallied 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals to lead Utah. Cody Williams added a team-high 26 points for the Jazz, who have lost six straight games and 10 of their past 11 contests.
Timberwolves 124, Mavericks 94
Ayo Dosunmu recorded his second career triple-double, finishing with 18 points, a career-high 15 rebounds and 12 assists to lead Minnesota to a road rout of Dallas.
With All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards coming off the bench and limited to 22:37 of playing time in his return from a knee injury, Dosunmu stepped up to shoulder some of the offensive load. Rudy Gobert posted 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Julius Randle netted a game-high 24 points.
Daniel Gafford led Dallas with 21 points on 9-of-11 field-goal shooting, while Rookie of the Year hopeful Cooper Flagg was held more than eight points below his season-long scoring average with 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting from the floor.
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Los Angeles Clippers center Isaiah Jackson (ankle) will remain out on Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs. He sprained his right ankle last week and is still being evaluated to determine a return timetable. Jackson had been a good mid-season addition to the Clippers' second unit, averaging 7.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 15.9 minutes. During Jackson's absence, Brook Lopez's workload has increased as the starting center. He produced a solid all-around line across 38 minutes against Portland on Tuesday, finishing a 114-104 defeat with 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and three blocks. In Thursday's matchup against the defensively elite Victor Wembanyama, Lopez is unlikely to have a significant impact on offense.
Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (hip) will be in the lineup on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets. He was sent for further evaluation after suffering a hip injury on Tuesday against Orlando. This apparently wasn't a serious issue, and Goodwin hasn't been listed on the injury report ahead of Thursday's game. The 27-year-old has played an important role for the Suns this season, posting averages of 9.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.5 steals in 26.4 minutes per game over his last six appearances. He continues to make an impact on both ends of the court despite being moved to a bench role last week.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Sam Merrill (hamstring) will play on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. The team has removed him from the injury report after Merrill missed Tuesday's loss to the Lakers to manage a hamstring injury. Merrill has been a starter in each of his last 14 appearances, and his return to the rotation is likely to send Max Strus back to the bench. Although Merrill scored just nine points on Monday night against Utah, he has recently gone through one of his best stretches of the season. Across his last seven outings, Merrill has tallied 14.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Alex Caruso (illness) is questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers. The former Laker is dealing with an illness and could be out of the lineup for the first time in 11 games. Caruso's absence would open up playing time for Aaron Wiggins, Jared McCain, and Isaiah Joe. However, the Thunder's second unit could have a quiet night since the Lakers are one of the toughest teams to generate field-goal attempts against as a reserve.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (hamstring) will be active against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. He was held out of Monday's matchup with Detroit as the defending champions wrapped up a back-to-back. Williams has yet to play more than 29 minutes since returning from a hamstring injury last week. He has averaged 16.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 24.8 minutes per game. The good news is that Williams' minutes have steadily increased with each appearance. He could be ready to handle 30-plus minutes on Thursday night if needed. Due to Williams' return, Ajay Mitchell will move to the second unit, but his workload likely won't change much.
Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) isn't on the injury report ahead of Thursday's Western Conference showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers. He missed the second game of a back-to-back on Monday against Detroit. Hartenstein has been a jack of all trades for the Thunder recently, averaging 7.4 points, 13.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game over his last five outings. On Thursday night, Hartenstein has a tricky matchup against the Lakers, who have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points in the league to centers this season.
New York Knicks' C Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in a 130-119 win over Memphis on Wednesday, Apr. 1.
Spurs' C Victor Wembanyama recorded a double-double, scoring 41 points and grabbing 18 rebounds in a 127-113 win over Golden State on Wednesday, Apr. 1.
Denver Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 12 assists and 17 rebounds in a 130-117 win over Utah on Wednesday, Apr. 1.
Boston's F Jayson Tatum recorded a triple-double, finishing with 25 points, 11 assists and 18 rebounds in a 147-129 win over Miami on Wednesday, Apr. 1.
Boston Celtics' F Jaylen Brown scored 43 points on 17-of-29 shooting in a 147-129 win over Miami on Wednesday, Apr. 1.
Atlanta Hawks center Jock Landale (ankle) will not return to Wednesday's game against Orlando after suffering a right ankle sprain, finishing with eight points, one rebound, and one assist in 15 minutes. If Landale is forced to miss additional time, Onyeka Okongwu should continue handling heavy frontcourt minutes after posting 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks in 31 minutes. Jonathan Kuminga could also see increased offensive chances off the bench, while Mouhamed Gueye may pick up situational minutes. Okongwu stands out as the clearest fantasy beneficiary if Landale remains sidelined.
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Paul George erupted for a season-high 39 points in Wednesday's win over Washington, adding six assists, five rebounds, three steals, and six three-pointers in 30 minutes. The veteran wing has been rolling lately, averaging 28.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 triples, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 steals across his last four games while handling a 28.1 usage rate. George looks locked in as a must-start option in all formats, especially with Joel Embiid (illness) sidelined. Tyrese Maxey should continue seeing steady usage, while VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. could see slightly fewer scoring chances with George taking on a larger offensive role.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (calf) will miss Thursday's game against New Orleans, extending his recent absence due to a lingering calf strain. His continued absence should keep Scoot Henderson in an elevated role after the young guard produced 15 points with three three-pointers in 29 minutes in the last win over the Clippers and 21 points with seven assists in a prior start. Henderson shapes up as a strong short-term points and assists streamer, while Deni Avdija and Jrue Holiday could also see slightly higher offensive workloads until Grant returns.
New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Trey Murphy III (ankle) is questionable for Thursday's game against Portland and could miss a fourth straight contest due to a right ankle sprain. With the Pelicans out of the playoff race, the team may remain cautious, which keeps Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Hawkins on the deep-league radar for streaming value. Fears posted 12 points, five assists, two steals, and one block in 22 minutes in the last game, while Yves Missi added four blocks as a starter but remains a defensive specialist option. Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray should continue seeing steady usage if Murphy sits.
Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Trent Jr. (hip) will not return to Wednesday's game against Houston after exiting early with a hip contusion, finishing with one steal and three missed shots in seven minutes. His absence is notable with Milwaukee already missing multiple rotation players, which could push Andre Jackson Jr. and Cormac Ryan into larger roles the rest of the night. Trent had been trending toward deeper league relevance recently due to the injury depleted roster, so this setback adds risk for managers relying on his minutes. AJ Green and Ousmane Dieng may also see small usage bumps.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (ankle) will miss Thursday's game against Oklahoma City, extending his absence to six straight games because of a right ankle contusion. His continued absence keeps Jake LaRavia in the starting lineup after he logged 14 points, seven rebounds, and two three-pointers in 38 minutes during the last outing, making him a viable deep-league streamer for rebounds and low-end scoring. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves should continue handling most of the backcourt usage, while LaRavia's secure minutes give him short-term value until Smart is cleared to return.
Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (foot) is questionable for Thursday's game against Charlotte as he nears a return from a monthlong absence caused by a left foot stress reaction. The fourth-year big man has averaged 11.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 23.6 minutes across 56 games, giving him solid value in big man categories if he sees enough minutes. His return would likely push Oso Ighodaro into a smaller role, lowering his already modest fantasy value. Williams could also take some interior opportunities from Royce O'Neale while adding defensive stats for category managers.
Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (calf) is available for Wednesday's game against Utah but is expected to operate under a minutes restriction after missing the previous contest. The veteran has averaged 14.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists across 26.6 minutes over his recent March stretch, though fantasy managers should expect modest production if his workload stays capped. He posted 17 points, seven rebounds, and one block in 31 minutes in a prior meeting with Utah, showing his category versatility. Peyton Watson could still hold value in deeper leagues if Gordon's playing time remains carefully managed alongside Nikola Jokic.
Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (knee) is out for Wednesday's game against San Antonio as the team manages his workload on the first night of a back-to-back, though he could return Thursday. His absence should open extra rotation minutes for Pat Spencer, who delivered seven points, five rebounds, eight assists, and two steals in 24 minutes in his last appearance, making him a possible deep-league assists streamer. Will Richard and Seth Curry could also see expanded roles, while Brandin Podziemski may take on slightly more ballhandling duties with Payton unavailable.
