Mar 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) dribbles against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the 1st quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot just 7-for-29 from the field and 1-for-7 on 3-pointers, but the Oklahoma City Thunder escaped with a 103-101 victory over the red-hot LA Clippers on Sunday night. It is Oklahoma City’s first win by three or fewer points of the season.
Norman Powell and Kawhi Leonard missed two straight jumpers a one-point deficit on the Clippers’ last full possession. Gilgeous-Alexander made two free throws before Alex Caruso intentionally fouled Kawhi Leonard to seal the deal. LA did not get off a shot in time after Leonard missed his second attempt.
The Clippers led 93-92 entering the final five minutes. Leonard snaked an Ivica Zubac screen and swished a mid-range jumper for his 22nd point of the night. Zubac and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander then blocked back-to-back layup attempts from Cason Wallace and Powell. Isaiah Hartenstein converted two free throws on a Powell strip attempt after Gilgeous-Alexander found him down low.
Caruso made a layup from Hartenstein and rattled in a corner 3-pointer from Luguentz Dort to hand Oklahoma City a 100-99 lead with 1:54 left. He stole James Harden’s baseline inbounds pass and went 1-for-2 at the line on the other end — Derrick Jones Jr. hacked his transition layup attempt. Jones Jr. made a free throw on the following possession but threw the ball off Zubac’s hands.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points, eight assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block. Hartenstein racked up 14 points, 10 rebounds (three offensive), six assists, three blocks and two steals.
Aaron Wiggins scored 19 points on 8-for-17 shooting off the bench. Jaylin Williams registered 12 points on perfect shooting, including three triples, seven rebounds, two assists and a block.
Statistic
Thunder
Clippers
Points
103
101
2-Pointers
25-for-57
27-for-55
3-Pointers
12-for-35
8-for-26
Free Throws
17-for-20
23-for-28
Turnovers
9
14
Offensive Rebounds
10
11
The Thunder started Gilgeous-Alexander, Wallace, Dort, Caruso and Hartenstein. Dort returned after missing three straight games with right hip impingement. Jalen Williams (right hip strain) and Chet Holmgren (left hip strain) did not play.
The Clippers started James Harden, Kris Dunn, Powell, Leonard and Zubac.
Hartenstein and Zubac scored or assisted on the game’s first 15 points, each flashing their interior touch and physicality. Dunn broke the streak with a difficult floater on a Harden assist — Harden recorded seven points, four rebounds and four assists in the first quarter. The Thunder went scoreless from 7:05 to 4:22, when Jaylin Williams nailed back-to-back triples. Gilgeous-Alexander scored his first points on a driving finger roll eight and a half minutes in.
The Clippers scored on seven consecutive possessions, including two threes and two Ben Simmons layups, to build a 31-22 lead with 1:31 left in the frame. Harden drew five free throws in the stretch, drawing three on Wiggins with his arm in the cookie jar outside the 3-point line. LA held Gilgeous-Alexander to six points on 3-for-11 shooting in the first 12 minutes with hounding perimeter activity and placing multiple defenders at the nail. Oklahoma City trailed 34-24 after the first quarter.
After giving up a Simmons driving floater to begin the second frame, the Thunder’s bench unit put together a 15-0 run from 10:14 to 7:14 — Wiggins scored nine on three layups and a triple. Hartenstein slammed an alley-oop from Kenrich Williams and made a putback floater. The Clippers missed six shots and committed three turnovers before Powell knocked down a top-of-the-key three to end their drought.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored or assisted on 13 of Oklahoma City’s final 16 first-half points. He generated six free throws driving to the basket, converted two jumpers and whipped an interior pass for a Dort layup. Caruso swished a last-minute 3-pointer after missing his first four outside attempts, and the Thunder led 57-51 at halftime.
Gilgeous-Alexander dropped in an and-one floater immediately out of the break to reach his 64th consecutive game scoring 20 or more points — but he scored just two points over the remaining 11 third-quarter minutes. Harden and Leonard splashed back-to-back threes, while Zubac put in a cutting layup and made two free throws to provide LA’s early quarter offense.
Oklahoma City shot 5-for-17 on twos and 3-for-9 from deep during the third quarter but forced the Clippers into 8-for-20 shooting in those 12 minutes. Dort, Wiggins and Jaylin Williams each made 3-pointers midway through the period, as the Thunder went over six minutes without making a 2-pointer. Gilgeous-Alexander and Derrick Jones Jr. knocked down two free throws in the last two minutes, and Oklahoma City led 81-77 with one quarter to go.
The Thunder battles the Sacramento Kings on the road this Tuesday, March 25 at 9 p.m. CST.
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