Thunder blow out Celtics 150-117 without Gilgeous-Alexander

Updated Jan. 3, 2023 10:37 p.m. ET

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Josh Giddey scored a season-high 25 points and the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder blew out the NBA-leading Boston Celtics 150-117 on Tuesday night.

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who ranks among the league’s leaders with 30.8 points per game, sat out with an illness. Without him, the Thunder set a record for points since the team moved to Oklahoma City from Seattle before the 2008-2009 season. The previous mark was 149 points in 2013.

Lu Dort scored 23 points and Jalen Williams, Tre Mann and Isaiah Joe each added 21 points for the Thunder. They shot 59.2% from the field.

The Thunder hadn't won a game by more than 16 and the Celtics hadn't lost by more than 16 this season.

Jaylen Brown scored 29 points for Boston, and Jayson Tatum added 27.

The Thunder led 74-54 at halftime behind Joe's 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting. Oklahoma City shot 57% in the first half. The Celtics trailed big, despite Brown's 18 points in the first half.

A 10-0 run put Oklahoma City ahead 90-63 just over three minutes into the second half, and the game was never close after that. Oklahoma City's largest lead was 37 points.

TIP-INS

Celtics: G Marcus Smart and coach Joe Mazzulla attended the Oklahoma State-West Virginia game Tuesday in Stillwater and sat together. Smart played college ball for Oklahoma State and Mazzulla played for West Virginia. Oklahoma State won 67-60. ... Smart was called for a technical in the second quarter and ejected in the third.

Thunder: Even Oklahoma City’s fans were hitting shots from deep. Johnnie Durossette, a 20-year-old from Muskogee, Oklahoma, made the MidFirst Bank halfcourt shot during a timeout to win $20,000. ... F Aaron Wiggins scored 17 points.

UP NEXT

Celtics: At Dallas on Thursday night.

Thunder: At Orlando on Wednesday night.

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