Thunder set team record with 61st win as Giddey lifts Bulls over Lakers

LOS ANGELES: NBA scoring leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander netted a game-high 37 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder over Memphis 125-104 on Thursday for a team-record 61st season victory.

The host Thunder also had 20 points from Jalen Williams plus 18 points and 11 rebounds from Isaiah Hartenstein in stretching their win streak to eight games and breaking the team’s single-season win mark.

“It feels good,” said Canadian guard Luguentz Dort. “It just shows how much we’re getting better throughout all the years — and we’ve got to run through the finish line.”

The Thunder haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs since 2016 but they pulled away in the last seven points to turn a tied game into a lopsided triumph.

“We started getting our groove in the fourth quarter and started moving the ball, getting some steals and going up and down,” Dort said.

“Just have to go out there and compete and give everything to make it tough for them.”

Oklahoma City improved to a league-best 61-12 and have already clinched the Western Conference title while Eastern Conference leader Cleveland improved to 59-14 with a 124-116 home victory over San Antonio.

Donovan Mitchell had 25 points and 14 assists while Jarrett Allen had 29 points and 15 rebounds to spark the Cavaliers.

Australia’s Josh Giddey swished in a half-court shot at the final buzzer to give the Chicago Bulls a stunning 119-117 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

On a night when Giddey had a triple-double with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, the 22-year-old guard from Melbourne saved the best for last.

Giddey inbounded the ball to a teammate from under Chicago’s basket, took a return pass and from the far edge of the mid-court circle launched a