Gilgeous-Alexander scores 40, Thunder pull away for 132-111 win over Wizards after early scuffle

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points and the Oklahoma Thunder pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Washington Wizards 132-111 on Saturday night for their 11th straight win, a game during which four players were ejected following a scuffle in the first half.

Gilgeous-Alexander extended his NBA record of 63 consecutive road games with at least 20 points.

Oklahoma’s Jaylin Williams and Washington’s Justin Champagnie began shoving each other after a basket by the Wizards with 27 seconds left in the second quarter. Several players joined in and the scrum spilled into the stands behind the basket.

In addition to Williams and Champagnie, Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace of the Thunder each received a technical foul and were ejected.

Despite losing three players, the Thunder were able to send the Wizards to their season-worst 15th straight loss.

Isaiah Hartenstein had 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 9 points for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Jared McCain added 18 points.

Bilal Coulibaly scored 21 points and Bub Carrington added 19 for the Wizards, who are one game from matching a franchise-worst skid of 16 consecutive losses, which happened most recently in March 2024.

After Gilgeous-Alexander's 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer put the Thunder up 103-96, Oklahoma City opened the fourth with a 15-0 run powered by Holmgren (eight points) and McCain (seven).

Washington missed its first 10 shots in the quarter and got no closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

The first half featured 11 lead changes, and the Thunder led 69-64 at the break.

The Wizards announced before the game that point guard Trae Young, who left against Golden State on Monday, has a bruised right quadriceps as well as lower back irritation, and there is no timeline for his return.

Thunder: Continue their five-game road trip at Philadelphia on Monday.

Wizards: Open a five-game road trip at New York on Sunday.

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Tristan Vukcevic (00) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes to the basket past Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Members of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Washington Wizards scuffle during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center left, grabs teammate guard Ajay Mitchell (25) after a scuffle with the Washington Wizards during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) looks to pass the ball against Washington Wizards guards Jamir Watkins, right, and Bub Carrington, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)