Thunder hold on to beat Raptors 110-109, win 2nd straight

Updated Dec. 8, 2021 10:18 p.m. ET

Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Mike Muscala made a go-ahead 3-pointer with nine seconds remaining, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 of his 26 points in the third quarter, and the Oklahoma City Thunder held on late to win their second straight game, rallying from a 13-point deficit to beat the shorthanded Toronto Raptors 110-109 on Wednesday night.

Toronto’s Justin Champagnie thought he had tipped in Fred VanVleet’s missed shot at the buzzer to give the Raptors the win but, after a wild celebration at center court, the referees ruled Champagnie’s shot had come too late.

The Thunder, who won Monday at Detroit to snap an eight-game losing streak, overcame a double-digit deficit for the second game in a row. Oklahoma City fought back from 18 down to beat the Pistons.

Luguentz Dort scored 22 points, Darius Bazley had 15 and Josh Giddey 13 for Oklahoma City.

Gary Trent Jr. scored 24 points, Pascal Siakam had 23 and VanVleet scored 14 of his 19 in the fourth quarter as the Raptors lost for the first time in three games. Toronto is 4-9 at home.

Already without forward OG Anunoby (left hip) and center Khem Birch (right knee), who sat out for the 10th straight game, the Raptors also played without center Precious Achiuwa, who was unavailable because of a sore right shoulder. Chris Boucher made his first start of the season in place of Achiuwa.

Toronto trailed 100-94 after back-to-back 3-pointers by VanVleet with 3:51 remaining, and Trent’s 3 with 1:45 left made it 103-102.

Dort scored for the Thunder before VanVleet connected again, his fourth of the quarter, tying it at 105 with 59 seconds left.

VanVleet put the Raptors ahead with a pair of free throws, but Gilgeous-Alexander made a pair of his own to tie the score again before Champagnie’s basket with 18 seconds left gave Toronto a 109-107 lead.

After a timeout, a driving Gileous-Alexander kicked out to find Muscala for a go-ahead 3, setting up Toronto’s final possession.

Toronto led 64-54 at halftime but Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 in the third, going 8 for 8 at the free throw line and adding a pair of 3-pointers. The Raptors shot 5 for 27 in the third and were outscored 33-12, matching their lowest point total in any quarter this season.

The Raptors made only one basket in the final eight minutes of the third, a 3-pointer from Scottie Barnes, and were outscored 25-3 during that span. The Thunder took an 87-76 lead into the fourth.

TIP-INS

Thunder: Outscored Toronto 19-14 in bench points. … Gilgeous-Alexander had nine assists and went 12 for 12 at the free throw line. … Derrick Favors had eight points and nine rebounds.

Raptors: Siakam shot 7 for 9 in the first half. He finished 10 for 15. … Toronto scored 12 points in the fourth quarter of a Nov. 19 win at Sacramento.

UP NEXT

Thunder: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Raptors: Host the New York Knicks on Friday night.

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