By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points, Jalen Williams added 18 in his return to the lineup and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 12th game in a row Monday night, March 23, with a 123-103 victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers.
Jared McCain had 13 points for the Thunder in his first game in Philadelphia since last month’s trade. The defending NBA champions improved to 57-15, the best record in the league.
VJ Edgecombe scored 35 points for the 76ers, who played without Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George. Philadelphia began the day as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament but was just a half-game back of fifth-place Toronto.
Williams was back in the lineup after missing 16 games with a right hamstring strain.
McCain helped the Thunder jump out to a 35-25 lead after the first quarter with a pair of 3-pointers. Oklahoma City increased its lead to 24 and never was threatened after taking a 65-43 lead into halftime.
Jaylin Williams scored 18 points off the bench, and Chet Holmgren had 17 for the Thunder.
McCain, drafted by the 76ers with the No. 16 overall pick last year, drew loud cheers when he entered in the first quarter. Philadelphia sent McCain to Oklahoma City for draft picks at the February trade deadline. The 76ers are 10-12 since the deal.
Embiid sat out again with a right oblique strain. The 2023 MVP last played on Feb. 26. He worked out on the court Monday and is scheduled to have a more grueling session Tuesday, coach Nick Nurse said. There is still no timetable for Embiid’s return.
The 76ers are expected to welcome back George to the lineup for Wednesday’s home game against Chicago. George was suspended 25 games for violating the league’s drug policy.
Maxey was sidelined for the ninth consecutive game with a right finger tendon strain. Kelly Oubre Jr. (left elbow sprain) has missed seven straight, and Quentin Grimes (illness) also didn’t play.
Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell also watched while serving a one-game suspension for fighting in Saturday’s 132-111 win at Washington. Jaylin Williams and Cason Wallace each were fined for their role in the fight, $50,000 and $35,000, respectively. Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 64 straight road games.
Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots, and the San Antonio Spurs rolled past the sliding Miami Heat, 136-111, for their sixth consecutive victory.
San Antonio’s victory, coupled with Houston’s 132-124 loss to Chicago, allowed the Spurs to clinch the Southwest Division.
Keldon Johnson and Dylan Harper each scored 21 off the bench for the Spurs, who are an NBA-best 22-2 since the start of February. They led by as many as 30, the biggest margin any visiting team has enjoyed in Miami so far this season.
Stephon Castle scored 19 for the Spurs. San Antonio (54-18) remained three games back of Oklahoma City (57-15) in the race for the NBA’s best overall record and No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Thunder beat Philadelphia on Monday for their 12th consecutive win.
Norman Powell scored 21 off the bench to lead the Heat, who remain stuck in the quagmire that is the Eastern Conference’s play-in race and have lost five consecutive games.
Philadelphia (39-33) is seventh and a game up on Miami, while Orlando (38-33 after a loss to Indiana on Monday) is eighth and a half-game ahead of the Heat (38-34). And No. 10 Charlotte (37-34) is now only a half-game behind Miami.
Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro each scored 18 for Miami, which has dropped five straight. The Heat allowed 76 points in the first half and rested their starters in the fourth quarter.
Earlier, Moses Moody scored 23 points before crumpling to the floor with an apparently serious left knee injury late in overtime as the Golden State Warriors beat Dallas, 137-131, extending the Mavericks’ home losing streak to 12 games, their longest in 32 years.
Moody had just stolen the ball from Mavericks rookie standout Cooper Flagg near midcourt and was all alone at the basket when his left leg buckled as he went up for the shot.
He lost the ball and went to the floor holding his knee, the clock finally stopping with 58 seconds remaining in the extra period after play continued on Dallas’ offensive end.
After the whistle, Warriors coach Steve Kerr put his hands to his face as the Mavericks’ home arena went silent. Players and medical staff surrounded Moody, who stayed down for several minutes before being taken off on a stretcher. Kerr said Moody was getting X-rays at the arena.
