Golf

SGA and Thunder dominate clash of NBA heavyweights

By AAP Newswire

Feb 2, 2026

SGA — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (r) led Oklahoma City to victory over fellow NBA heavyweights Denver. -AP

NBA leaders Oklahoma City have delivered a statement as they led throughout to beat hosts Denver 121-111 in a clash of the Western Conference top two.

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The Thunder (39-11) showed their title defence remained on track as reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points and Cason Wallace added a career-best 27 in the first of four regular season clashes between the two heavyweight teams this season.

Gilgeous-Alexander had 13 assists and the Thunder, who had lost three of their previous four games, sank 19 three-pointers.

Peyton Watson's 29 points paced the Nuggets (33-17) in the teams' first meeting since the Thunder beat Denver in Game 7 of the Western Conference semi-finals last May en route to winning the city's first NBA championship.

The Thunder were aided by quiet games from the Nuggets' two All-Stars.

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 16 points but took only nine shots in his second game back from a knee injury that sidelined him for 16 games.

Guard Jamal Murray, who earned his first All-Star berth in his ninth NBA season, dished out 12 assists but scored just 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

In Miami, Chicago's Australian star Josh Giddey (hamstring) missed a third-straight clash with the Heat in four days..

It wasn't pretty with the Heat routing the visitors 134-91, having led by as many as 54 points.

Bam Adebayo and Pelle Larsson each had 20 points as Miami tied their third-largest victory margin.

There was another rout in Detroit where centre Jalen Duren celebrated his first All-Star selection with 21 points and 10 rebounds as the ‍host Pistons pounded the Brooklyn Nets 130-77.

Fellow All-Star Cade Cunningham supplied 18 points, 12 assists and four steals for the Eastern conference-leading Pistons (36-12), who have won eight of their past ⁠10 games.

In Portland, Jarrett Allen scored a career-best 40 points, collected a season-high 17 rebounds and added five assists to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a one-sided 130-111 victory over the hosting Trail Blazers.

Elsewhere, Boston annihilated Milwaukee 107-79, New York beat the LA Lakers 112-100, Toronto downed Utah 107-100, the LA Clippers beat Phoenix 117-93, San Antonio defeated Orlando 112-103 and Washington overcame Sacramento 116-112.