Gilgeous-Alexander scores 27 as the Thunder beat the Warriors 104-97 for 5th straight win

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Golden State Warriors 104-97 on Saturday night for their fifth straight win.

Gilgeous-Alexander made just 6 of 15 field goals, but he made 14 of 15 free throws to maintain his usual production. He has scored at least 20 points in 125 consecutive games. He can tie Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 126 straight games with at least 20 points Monday at home against Denver.

Oklahoma City is 5-0 since Gilgeous-Alexander returned from an abdominal strain. The defending champion Thunder have the league's best record and became the first team in the league to win 50 games this season.

Isaiah Joe added 18 points and Jaylin Williams had nine points and 14 rebounds for Oklahoma City.

Gui Santos had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Brandin Podziemski scored 17 points and Draymond Green added 16 for the Warriors, who were held to 40.9% shooting.

This matchup wasn't as star-studded as many past matchups between these longtime rivals. Golden State's Stephen Curry (right knee) missed his 13th straight game. The Thunder were without regular starters Chet Holmgren (illness), Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring) and center Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf bruise).

The Thunder led 67-54 at halftime behind 13 points from Kenrich Williams and 12 from Gilgeous-Alexander. Santos scored 14 points in the first half to help the Warriors stay within reach.

Golden State cut into the lead early in the third quarter. A 3-pointer by Malevy Leons tied the game at 77 with just over four minutes left in the quarter, but the Thunder took an 86-83 lead into the fourth.

With the Thunder up 99-97, Gilgeous-Alexander made a 3-pointer with Green in his face to push the lead to five with 42.4 seconds left.

Warriors: Visit the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Thunder: Host the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, right, passes the ball away from Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, front, goes to the basket against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, back, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, takes the ball to the basket between Golden State Warriors guard Nate Williams (19) and center Kristaps Porzingis (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) looks for an outlet against Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis guard Ja Morant hopes to be in a Grizzlies uniform after this season despite being put on the trade market last month.

Morant, in his first public comments since he was injured seven weeks ago, emphasized the point while taking questions for 5 minutes before the Grizzlies lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 123-120 on Saturday night. In most cases, Morant's answers were short — sometimes evasive — and shed little light on the situation between him and the Grizzlies organization.

Even when asked about his name being mentioned at the trade deadline and the team's plans to pivot to a rebuild, Morant referred to previous comments saying he was loyal to the organization.

“I think I answered this question when they asked me where I wanted to be,” Morant said, referring to his comments when the Grizzlies played in Europe in January. When pressed further about the matter and whether anything had changed, Morant replied: “You've got a phone? Look it up.”

In that January press conference, Morant referenced the Grizzlies logo tattooed on his back.

“That should tell you exactly where I want to be,” he said at the time.

Morant, the 6-foot-2 guard in his seventh season out of Murray State, had not spoken with the media since he injured his left elbow Jan. 21 against Atlanta. He has missed the last 20 games, including the Grizzlies matchup with the Clippers on Saturday night. The team announced Thursday that Morant was still experiencing discomfort, imaging of the elbow showed incomplete healing and he will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Morant said he has problems with cross-body passes, saying “whipping a pass” is the biggest problem.

“I feel like I could fight through it,” he said, “but I still have to be smart.”

The media availability before the Clippers game was also the first time Morant has commented since the NBA's trade deadline on Feb. 5. Memphis didn't get any offers they were willing to accept, leaving Morant on the roster and in limbo as the Grizzlies focus on the future.

The potential breakup between the team and its star guard is the culmination of Morant's decreasing impact on the game.

The guard, taken second in the 2019 draft behind Zion Williamson, was a nightly highlight film early in his career with the Grizzlies.

Morant challenged some of the NBA’s tallest centers with dunks at the rim and avoided defenders with whirling gyrations. His passes found cracks in defenses, and he regularly chased down blocks where he pinned the ball at the top of the square on the backboard.

Those high-flying, highlight-yielding plays earned him Rookie of the Year in 2020 and Most Improved Player in 2022.

Off-court troubles and growing behavior issues started surfacing in 2023 and diminished his impact on the court for the Grizzlies. Video in March 2023 of Morant flashing a gun at a Denver-area nightclub led to an eight-game suspension by the NBA even though no criminal charges were filed.

Months later, Morant was seen on a livestream flashing a gun, this time from the passenger seat of a car. After the league investigation, Silver announced that Morant would start the 2023-24 season with a 25-game suspension.

In 20 games this season, Morant is averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists.

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

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, center, holds a ball on the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant looks on from the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)