Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a man on a mission Friday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 32 points in Oklahoma City’s blowout win, 126-108 over the Phoenix Suns.
Shai spinning.🌪 pic.twitter.com/v4DWEKbChN
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 21, 2019
The Thunder have now won 8 of their last 11 games, including three in a row.
In addition to Gilgeous-Alexander’s game-high, Oklahoma City had fairly even scoring up and down their lineup. Dennis Schroder came off the bench to score 24, while Danilo Gallinari had 22. Chris Paul, Steven Adams, and Nerlens Noel were all in double-digits as well with 13, 10, and 10, respectively.
Even that pesky third quarter that Oklahoma City has struggled with this season didn’t provide too many problems as the Thunder scored 44 points in the third quarter alone.
Deandre Ayton did not play for the Suns on Friday.
#Suns have diagnosed Deandre Ayton with a right ankle sprain, and have ruled him OUT for tomorrow’s game at OKC. Devin Booker (forearm contusion) and Cam Johnson (hip soreness) are both questionable. Tyler Johnson (illness) is probable.
— Gina Mizell (@ginamizell) December 19, 2019
He suffered a sprained right ankle earlier in the week against the Clippers. That was his only game back after serving a 25-game suspension for testing positive for a diuretic.
With the win, the Thunder move back to .500 on the season at 14-14. Oklahoma City is 10-5 inside Chesapeake Energy Arena. OKC is back in action on Sunday when they host the Clippers.
The game will be the first time that Paul George was returned to Oklahoma City is asking for a trade to Los Angeles in the offseason.