NBA: Thunder survive Knicks' late surge

Chet Holmgren scored 28 points while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 26 to help the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder hold off a late surge by the New York Knicks for a 103-100 win on Wednesday.

The Thunder led by seven with just over a minute left, but the Knicks had a chance to force overtime in the closing seconds. OG Anunoby’s 3-pointer at the buzzer bounced off the rim, securing the victory for Oklahoma City.

Gilgeous-Alexander reached 20 points early in the fourth quarter, putting him two games shy of Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record of 126 consecutive games scoring 20 or more points. The Thunder have now won four straight games and nine of their last 11.

For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns posted 17 points and 17 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson had 16 points and 15 assists. New York had won five of its previous six games.

Hornets Rout Celtics, 118-89

Kon Knueppel scored 20 points as the Charlotte Hornets defeated host Boston 118-89 for their sixth straight win.

LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller each contributed 18 points, while reserve Coby White added 17 points and six assists. Charlotte’s winning streak has seen each victory come by at least 16 points. The Hornets (32-31) moved above .500 for the first time since early October.

For Boston, Derrick White led all scorers with 29 points. Jaylen Brown added 20 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists but shot just 7 of 19 from the field.

Sixers Hold Off Jazz, 106-102

Tyrese Maxey scored 25 points, and Quentin Grimes hit clutch free throws down the stretch to lift Philadelphia past visiting Utah.

Jabari Walker added 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Grimes finished with 16 points. The Sixers played without Joel Embiid, Kelly Oubre Jr., VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George, avoiding a third straight loss.

Utah, losers of seven straight games, were led by Keyonte George’s 30 points. Isaiah Collier added 18 points.

Trail Blazers Beat Grizzlies, 122-114

Jrue Holiday had a season-high 35 points and 11 assists, Jerami Grant scored 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Robert Williams III posted 20 points and 11 rebounds as Portland defeated Memphis.

Donovan Clingan added nine rebounds and four blocks in 12 minutes before being ejected in the second quarter. Portland, missing Deni Avdija due to a back injury, had lost three of its previous four games.

Memphis, limited to eight players due to injuries, saw Jaylen Wells score 24 points, GG Jackson 20, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper 17 points with nine rebounds. The Grizzlies have lost five of their last seven games.

Hawks Top Bucks, 131-113

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 points as the visiting Atlanta Hawks defeated Milwaukee for their fifth straight win.

Five other Hawks scored in double figures, including Wisconsin native Jalen Johnson with 20 points and nine assists. Onyeka Okongwu contributed 21 points and eight rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 24 points in 26 minutes while on a post-injury time restriction. Kyle Kuzma added 16 off the bench after missing the previous game.

Clippers Down Pacers, 130-117

Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 23 as the Los Angeles Clippers beat Indiana in Inglewood, Calif., marking their third consecutive win.

Brook Lopez scored 17 points and Derrick Jones Jr. had 12 for the Clippers, who improved to 24-10 since Dec. 20. Darius Garland scored 12 points with eight assists in his first home game with the team.

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 29 points, Jay Huff added 18, and Jarace Walker contributed 17. Indiana has lost seven straight games and is 2-11 since Feb. 2. Siakam returned after missing three games due to a wrist injury.

—Field Level Media/Reuters