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Spurs muffle Thunder for first NBA Cup win

NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio SpursNovember 19, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) passes the ball for Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory credits: Daniel Dunn-Imagn images

Keldon Johnson scored 22 points and Chris Paul had a double-double, including a crucial 3-pointer with 1:27 remaining, as the short-handed San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-104 in a wild game on Tuesday. West Group B match in the NBA Cup.

It was the first NBA Cup victory for San Antonio, which had lost four last season and one this year. Both Spurs and Thunder are 1-1 in the group standings with two cup games left to play.

Spurs scored the last seven points of the first half and the first eleven of the second to take a fourteen-point lead two minutes into the third quarter. That advantage extended to 16 points in the final period and 98-77 with 10 minutes to play.

Oklahoma City cut the deficit to six points, 107-101, on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 3-pointer with 1:22 remaining. The teams traded baskets from beyond the arc, but the Thunder could get no closer.

Harrison Barnes added 20 points for San Antonio, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Paul had 14 points and 11 assists; Julian Champagnie, Zach Collins and Charles Bassey each scored 12 and Stephon Castle had 10.

The Spurs played for the second game in a row without Victor Wembanyama (bruised right knee) and Devin Vassell (left knee pain).

Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 32 points, while Jalen Williams added 27 for the Thunder. Cason Wallace scored 13 and Aaron Wiggins scored 11. Luguentz Dort grabbed 12 rebounds in the game.

Oklahoma City held a 35-32 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended the margin to 48-38 midway through the second quarter on Dillon Jones’ three-pointer.

Johnson carried San Antonio back into the game, going high on a stirring dunk between three defenders and then nailing a 3-pointer from the corner to put the Spurs up 58-57 with 1:16 left. San Antonio led 60-57 at halftime.

Johnson led all scorers with 17 points at halftime while hitting five of his six three-point attempts. Harrison Barnes added 13 points for the Spurs.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams each had 14 points to pace Oklahoma City, while Wiggins contributed 11 points.

–Field-level media