Trail Blazers beat Rockets 111-105 to extend winning streak to 5

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Toumani Camara scored 25 points and the Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to a season-best five games with a 111-105 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija each added 20 points for Portland.

Kevin Durant had 30 points and 12 rebounds for the Rockets. He passed Wilt Chamberlain for seventh place on the NBA's career scoring list when he made a 3-pointer in the third quarter.

Durant needed 15 points going into the game to eclipse Chamberlain, who scored 31,419 points. Durant’s jumper with 7:57 left in the third gave him 31,422.

Avdija hit a 3 to pull the Blazers to 99-98 with 3:54 left, then made four straight free throws to give Portland a 102-99 lead with 2:43 remaining.

Amen Thompson, who had 24 points and nine rebounds, dunked to make it 102-101.

Portland stretched the lead to 107-103 on Sidy Cissoko's dunk and held off Houston the rest of the way.

The teams also met on Wednesday with Portland winning 103-102. Tari Eason's tip-in as time ran out for Houston did not beat the buzzer upon replay review.

Portland has been resilient despite a number of key injuries. The team hasn't had starting forward Jerami Grant since Dec. 18 because of Achilles tendinitis. Jrue Holiday, out with a calf strain since mid-November, was upgraded to doubtful but did not play.

After a tight first half in which neither team led by double figures, the Rockets took an 86-74 lead on Durant's 3-pointer in the third quarter.

Portland rallied in the final period, closing to 94-91 on Duop Reath's 3-pointer. Camara dunked to get the Blazers closer, but Durant answered with a 3 to keep the Rockets in front 97-93 with 5:32 left.

The Rockets visit Sacramento on Sunday night.

The Trail Blazers host the New York Knicks on Sunday.

AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/NBA

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, right, keeps the ball from Portland Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, center, speaks with Houston Rockets center Steven Adams left, and forward Tari Eason, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant dribbles during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)

Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson, left, dribbles against Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, right. during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)

Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (30) dives for the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't scoring the way he usually does, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are still winning the way they normally do.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, averaged 31.1 points during the regular season. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he is averaging 20 points and taking only 14 shots per game.

Oklahoma City has still won the first two games by an average of 18 points. Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 22 points, and the defending champion Thunder beat the Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night.

Ajay Mitchell, starting in place of injured Jalen Williams, is averaging 19 points on 50% shooting in the series for Oklahoma City.

“I think the coaching staff does a good job at just getting all of us ready,” said Mitchell, a second-year guard. "And we have a lot of competitors. Like, everyone’s a competitor on our team. So every time the lights are bright, everyone’s ready to go.”

Holmgren is the leading scorer for the Thunder in the best-of-seven series with 23 points per game. The 2026 All-Star also is averaging 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

Jared McCain, a midseason acquisition from the Philadelphia 76ers, barely played in the first round against Phoenix but has averaged 15 points and made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the series.

“He goes in there, stays in character, stays aggressive," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "He’s going to shoot the next shot. He makes the right plays, plays inside the team. He competes defensively, has had good defensive possessions for us. And he was huge tonight. You need that in a playoff series.”

The Lakers again were without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. They also were missing forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve forward who dislocated the pinkie on his right hand during the second quarter of Game 1. The Lakers had three players finish with five fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late in the game.

Los Angeles guard Austin Reaves, who struggled with his shot in Game 1, scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Game 1, followed that up with 23.

With the Lakers up 63-61 early in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander got tied up with Reaves and was called for his fourth foul. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander's follow through. Oklahoma City's Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul as the situation was being sorted out.

Gilgeous-Alexander left the game with the Lakers up 65-61, but the Thunder rallied and took control without him. On a fast break, Holmgren found a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 while Gilgeous-Alexander was out in the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth.

“It was amazing," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They strung together stops, they’re playing the right way offensively and things are going their way. Full confidence in those guys. They know how to win basketball games. And we've proven that. They’ve proven that no matter who’s on the floor, they know how to get the job done. And they just did it again tonight."

The Lakers cut Oklahoma City's lead to five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder pulled away again.

Los Angeles will host Game 3 on Saturday.

“We just stuck with it,” Holmgren said. “It’s the game of basketball. It’s not always going to go your way. It’s about how you respond. And this team has proven many times that we know how to respond. And we did so tonight.”

This story has been corrected to show that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20, not 19, points per game against the Lakers.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves (15) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, front, works for a shot as Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves, rear, defends in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James stands on the court in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Los Angeles Lakers' Deandre Ayton (5) and LeBron James, rear, in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) works to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)