SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Matas Buzelis scored a career-high 41 points and hit a key 3-pointer with 2:20 left in overtime, Josh Giddey had a triple-double of 21 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls beat the undermanned Golden State Warriors 130-124 on Tuesday night.
Chicago’s Jalen Smith converted two free throws with 1.4 seconds left in regulation to send the game into OT, and Tre Jones contributed 22 points for the Bulls, who bounced back from a tough 126-110 loss at Sacramento on Sunday.
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Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos (15) shoots while defended by Chicago Bulls guard Rob Dillingham (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis (7) reacts after scoring against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, right, looks for an open teammate while defended by Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, left, and forward Jalen Smith (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones, left, shoots a 3-point basket over Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Kristaps Porzingis scored 17 points and blocked four shots and Pat Spencer had 17 points and six assists, but the Warriors missed another chance to give coach Steve Kerr career win No. 600.
Gui Santos made a go-ahead layup with 4:11 left in regulation on the way to 17 points and Spencer scored the next time down. LJ Cryer also contributed 17 points for Golden State, which had big men Al Horford and Porzingis available after both sat out of the team’s 119-116 loss Monday night at Utah.
It marked just the second home game for Porzingis since the Warriors acquired him from Atlanta at the trade deadline last month for Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga.
Porzingis converted a three-point play with 4:52 left in the third quarter that pulled the Warriors within two points, then they took the lead on Cryer's basket the next possession before Porzingis hit a 3.
Golden State completed a road-home back-to-back missing Stephen Curry for a 15th straight game because of a lingering right knee injury. Brother Seth Curry was sidelined to manage sciatica in his left leg and also out were De’Anthony Melton (sore left inner thigh), Moses Moody (sprained right wrist) and Quinten Post (foot soreness).
The Warriors lost their third straight — also third in a row at Chase Center — and fifth of six.
Bulls: Visit the Lakers on Thursday night to continue a five-game West Coast road trip.
Warriors: Host Minnesota on Friday night.
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Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos (15) shoots while defended by Chicago Bulls guard Rob Dillingham (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis (7) reacts after scoring against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, right, looks for an open teammate while defended by Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, left, and forward Jalen Smith (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones, left, shoots a 3-point basket over Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
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.
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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)
