Thunder Defeat 76ers 118-102 Amid Injuries

In a decisive 118-102 victory, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points, and Jalen Williams added 24 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder over a severely short-handed Philadelphia 76ers team. The Sixers were missing three All-Stars—Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George—continuing their struggle in the Eastern Conference with this being their sixth loss in eight games. Despite a valiant effort from Justin Edwards, who led Philadelphia with 25 points, the team fell behind by as much as 21 points early in the game. The Thunder capitalized on their strong start, shooting 70% in the first quarter, and maintained control throughout, even as the Sixers closed the gap to four points in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City has now won 18 of their last 19 games and will face the Cleveland Cavaliers next, while the 76ers prepare to host the New York Knicks. This loss puts Philadelphia at 15-23, closer to a draft lottery position than playoff contention as they deal with significant injuries.