By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominated as the Oklahoma City Thunder knocked out the Dallas Mavericks from the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup. Piling up a game-high 39 points with 15/23 from the field, including five three-pointers, he fueled a win, 118-104, in Paycom Center on Tuesday.
“He’s a great scorer. He gets his teammates involved,” Luka Doncic reacted to the brilliant performance of SGA, “At some point, you have to send two or three players. It’s amazing to play against a guy like this. Just the battles. It’s fun. He’s an amazing player.”
The Slovenian sensation struggled for large stretches in the Quarterfinals of the Cup. Besides six turnovers in 40 minutes, he was held to 5/15 field goals and finished with 16 points. Eleven rebounds shaped a double-double, his ninth in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season. He also tallied five assists and four steals.
The starting center of the Thunder, German Isaiah Hartenstein combined a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double with three assists, one block, and one steal, lasting 30 minutes. Off the bench, Belgian Ajay Mitchell chipped in two points, two assists, one steal, and one rebound in just under ten minutes.
Tuesday games
Milwaukee Bucks – Orlando Magic 114-109
Oklahoma City Thunder – Dallas Mavericks 118-104
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 21-4
2. Boston Celtics 19-5
3. Orlando Magic 17-10
4. New York Knicks 15-9
5. Miami Heat 12-10
6. Milwaukee Bucks 13-11
7. Atlanta Hawks 13-12
8. Brooklyn Nets 10-14
9. Indiana Pacers 10-15
10. Chicago Bulls 10-15
11. Detroit Pistons 10-15
12. Philadelphia 76ers 7-15
13. Charlotte Hornets 7-17
14. Toronto Raptors 7-18
15. Washington Wizards 3-19
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 19-5
2. Memphis Grizzlies 17-8
3. Houston Rockets 16-8
4. Dallas Mavericks 16-9
5. Golden State Warriors 14-9
6. Los Angeles Clippers 14-11
7. Denver Nuggets 12-10
8. Los Angeles Lakers 13-11
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 12-11
10. Phoenix Suns 12-11
11. San Antonio Spurs 12-12
12. Sacramento Kings 12-13
13. Portland Trail Blazers 8-16
14. Utah Jazz 5-18
15. New Orleans Pelicans 5-20
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins