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Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead Thunder past Magic 127-113 – Winnipeg Free Press

Posted on by Neons

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Jalen Williams scored 33 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 32 points and five assists, and Oklahoma City beat the Orlando Magic 127-113 on Tuesday night. – Star break.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 13 points to lead the Lightning in a five-minute stretch in the third quarter, the night the Magic wore retired Shaquille O'Neal's No. 32.

Chet Holmgren had 13 points, nine rebounds and five blocks for the Thunder.

Orlando Magic head coach Jamal Mosley yells at his team: Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Orlando Magic head coach Jamal Mosley yells at his team: Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)

Paolo Banchero led the Wizards with 23 points and 10 assists. Junior Wendell Carter had 22 points and seven rebounds.

Jalen Suggs hit three 3-pointers to give Orlando an 11-point lead, but he disappeared late in the first quarter.

“We just weathered that storm, which is what we've been doing all year,” said Williams, who made 12 of 18 shots. “I think we doubled down on our physicality and competed against them. After we got our physicality back into the game, I certainly thought we did a good job of adjusting and playing with the lead.”

Gilgeous-Alexander hit six of the Thunder's first seven field goals in the second half, and Oklahoma City took an 80-63 lead when Holmgren hit a 3-pointer with 6:10 left in the third quarter.

“We were up eight at halftime, Chet didn't play great, Shai didn't play great,” Thunder coach Mark Dagno said. “Also, the cumulative effect and everything put us in a good position through the first half. Shai is too good a player to play that kind of game.''

The Magic defended him better in the first half.

“We did a great job with Shai in the first half,” Magic coach Jamal Mosley said. “It was a big process to be able to protect him without breaking early, but then he started himself.”

Jonathan Isaac opened the final period with a dunk to put the Magic back within eight at 92-84. But Holmgren blocked two straight shots, Williams scored 10 straight points for the Thunder and Cason Wallace's 3-pointer stretched Oklahoma City's lead to 107-86 with 8:02 left.

The Magic made just seven of 29 3-pointers.

O'Neal, the first Magic player to have his number retired, spent his first four NBA seasons (1992-93 and 1995-96) in Orlando. The presence of the number of pensioners charged the atmosphere.

Banchero said he likes the playoff-style atmosphere — noting the extra energy in the building because of O'Neal's postgame celebration.

“The defensive chants and all that, it was great to be in that environment,” Banchero said. “The fans do a great job of putting this environment together for us. We didn't win, but as an organization, as a team, we want this to be the new norm.”