(Reuters) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points to guide the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder to their 12th straight win, a comfortable 123-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams each added 18 points for Oklahoma City (57-15), which shot well from the field (53.3%), the 3-point arc (43.9%) and the foul line (9 of 10) in a smooth all-around performance.
Jared McCain, who was dealt from the Sixers to the Thunder at last month’s trade deadline, chipped in with 13 points off the bench.
VJ Edgecombe scored 35 points to pace Philadelphia (39-33), which had won four of its previous five games. The Sixers continued to play without Tyrese Maxey (finger), Joel Embiid (oblique) and Paul George (suspension), among others.
Oklahoma City shot 70% from the field in an impressive first quarter. McCain made two 3-pointers in the period as the Thunder shot 5 of 10 from long distance and led 35-25 after 12 minutes.
The second quarter was a similar story, as the visitors outscored the hosts 30-18 en route to a 22-point halftime advantage. For the second straight quarter, the Thunder made half of their 3-pointers — this time 6 of 12 — with Jaylin Williams (3 of 3) leading the way.
The Sixers briefly trailed by single digits early in the second quarter before Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams each knocked down a 3-pointer to push the gap to 41-27.
Aaron Wiggins’ 3-pointer midway through the quarter increased the advantage to 15 for the first time, and Gilgeous-Alexander’s two foul shots about three minutes later created a 20-point cushion.
The Thunder led by as many as 24 late in the quarter before settling for a 65-43 edge at the break.
Edgecombe led all scorers with 13 first-half points, while Jaylin Williams paced Oklahoma City with 12 points in the opening 24 minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander authored a perfect 5-of-5 shooting performance in the third quarter, scoring 11 points in the frame. Edgecombe was no slouch with 12 points in the quarter, helping Philadelphia make a small dent in its deficit.
The Sixers trailed 97-79 heading into the fourth and got a bit closer on a quick Edgecombe 3-pointer, but the Thunder promptly built the lead back to 21 and cruised to the finish line.
