Thunder top Blazers as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander eclipses 30 again

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and Jalen Williams added 31 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 128-120 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

Chet Holmgren recorded 21 points and 14 rebounds as the Thunder won for the eighth time in their past 10 games. Oklahoma City completed a four-game sweep of the season series and defeated the Trail Blazers for the 12th consecutive time.

Josh Giddey had 19 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Gordon Hayward added 10 points off the bench for the Thunder.

Anfernee Simons scored 29 points and Jerami Grant added 20 for the Trail Blazers, who lost for the 11th time in 13 games. Duop Reath and Matisse Thybulle tallied 16 points apiece, Dalano Banton had 13, and Kris Murray added 12 for Portland.

Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 30 or more points in nine of his past 10 games and established a career best with his 46th of the season. He is one shy of the Thunder record, accomplished twice by Kevin Durant (2009-10, 2013-14).

Oklahoma City shot 58.1 percent from the field, including 9 of 22 from 3-point range.

Portland connected on 50.6 percent of its shots and was 14 of 34 from behind the arc.

The Thunder held an 11-point lead after Hayward's three-point play with 5:53 remaining in the game. The Trail Blazers then ripped off nine straight points, pulling within 112-110 on Thybulle's 3-pointer with 4:05 remaining.

Oklahoma City scored the next five points to lead by seven and then later increased it to 123-115 on back-to-back baskets by Giddey and Gilgeous-Alexander.

Williams sank a 3-pointer to make it 126-117 with 40.7 seconds left as the Thunder closed it out.

Earlier, Oklahoma City led 78-63 after Gilgeous-Alexander's basket with 8:07 left in the third quarter.

Portland made a sustained push and two treys by Simons cut the Thunder lead to 88-84. Grant followed with a basket to make it a two-point game with 1:45 left in the quarter.

However, Oklahoma City closed the period with a 9-1 run to hold a 97-87 lead entering the fourth. Aaron Wiggins and Giddey opened the final quarter with baskets to push the advantage to 14.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren scored 16 points apiece in the first half and the Thunder shot 61.8 percent from the field while holding a 65-57 lead at the break. Grant had 11 in the half for the Trail Blazers.