OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points to lead the undefeated Oklahoma City Thunder to a 127–108 win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night, extending their perfect start to 6–0.
Ajay Mitchell provided a major boost off the bench with 20 points, knocking down all six of his free throws to remain flawless at 19-for-19 from the line this season. Isaiah Joe, making his season debut after missing five games with a knee bruise, also tallied 20 points and drained five 3-pointers — a welcome spark for a Thunder team that entered the night last in the NBA in 3-point shooting (28.8%).
Oklahoma City’s defense was relentless, forcing 22 turnovers while committing just six. Rookie Cason Wallace led the charge with four steals, and Alex Caruso added three.
CJ McCollum paced Washington with 19 points, while Bilal Coulibaly chipped in 16 as the Wizards dropped their third straight to fall to 1–4.
Despite their flawless record, the night carried a somber tone for the Thunder. Earlier Thursday, general manager Sam Presti announced that guard Nikola Topić had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
Injuries also continue to test the defending NBA champions. Chet Holmgren missed his second consecutive game with lower back soreness, and Jalen Williams remains sidelined following offseason wrist surgery.
Even so, Oklahoma City once again found ways to dominate. The Thunder closed the first half on a 15–5 surge to take a 59–49 lead into the locker room, fueled by 20 points from Gilgeous-Alexander and 14 from Joe.
Washington fought back to trim the margin to 83–81 late in the third, but OKC responded with a 9–3 burst capped by Jaylin Williams’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer to restore an eight-point cushion heading into the fourth. The Thunder then pulled away for good, leading by as many as 24 points in the final period.
Up Next:
Wizards: Host the Orlando Magic on Saturday.
Thunder: Host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
