Starting 5: Thunder, 22-1, KD hits 31K
The Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 points in three quarters, defeated the Mavericks 132-111, extending their winning streak to 14 games and their record to 22-1. This start matches the second-best in NBA history, tying the 1993-94 Rockets and 1969-70 Knicks.
Kevin Durant's 31,000 career points were highlighted on a night of rare stat lines and achievements. The Rockets defeated the Suns 117-98, with Durant scoring 28 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals.
Other notable games include:
- The Nuggets' 134-133 comeback win over the Hawks, with Nikola Jokić scoring 40 points and recording a triple-double.
- The Knicks' 146-112 win over the Jazz, with Jalen Brunson leading the way with 33 points.
- The Celtics' 126-105 win over the Lakers, with Jaylen Brown scoring 30 points.
- The Magic's 106-105 win over the Heat, with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs combining for 55 points in the third quarter.
- The Sixers' 116-101 win over the Bucks, with Quentin Grimes and Paul George scoring 22 and 20 points, respectively.
- The Pacers' 120-105 win over the Bulls, with Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin combining for 64 points.
- The Pistons' 122-116 win over the Blazers, with Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson combining for 18 points in the fourth quarter.
- The Grizzlies' 107-98 win over the Clippers, with Cedric Coward contributing 23 points and 14 rebounds.
- The Hornets' 111-86 win over the Raptors, with Kon Knueppel scoring 21 points.
- The Cavs' 130-117 win over the Spurs, with De'Aaron Fox and Donovan Mitchell combining for 56 points.
LeBron James' double-digit scoring streak of 1,297 games ended on Thursday, as he finished with 8 points and 11 assists in a win over the Raptors. The new longest active streak belongs to Kevin Durant (268), followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (171) and Luka Dončić (157).