Giddey's Thunder score biggest NBA win in a decade

Josh Giddey has won bragging rights over Australian countrymen Duop Reath and Matisse Thybulle as Oklahoma City belted Portland by 43 points for their biggest win in a decade.

One of the NBA's most potent attacking sides, the Thunder began Monday's (AEDT) road game with an 11-2 run and never again trailed, finishing up 134-91 winners.

Only twice since the turn of the century have the Thunder, or predecessors the Seattle Supersonics, scored bigger victories - both were by 45 points in 2012 and 2013.

The latest win would have equalled those 45-point margins if not for a dunk from Portland's Moses Brown in the final 30 seconds.

Victory came despite Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault beginning to send his starting five to the bench with five minutes to play in the third quarter. None returned after the final change.

Six Thunder players scored in double figures, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way on 28.

Australian guard Giddey had a team-high five assists to go with six points and four rebounds.

The Thunder shot at 71.8 per cent from the field before half-time, the most accurate first-half shooting display from any side this season. 

They parlayed their precision into a 33-point half-time lead, all but sealing victory with two quarters to play.

"Our execution of the game-plan really set the tone for the game and got us a nice grip on the game early," Daigneault said.

"That was a by-product of maturity and discipline."

The loss was Portland's seventh in a row as life without Milwaukee recruit Damian Lillard continues to weigh on the Blazers.

Australians Reath and Thybulle combined for only six points from the bench.

Elsewhere, LA Lakers superstar LeBron James iced a tense 105-104 home defeat of the Houston Rockets with a free throw at the death.

After Houston's Alperen Sengun tied the game at in the final five seconds, 38-year-old James was fouled driving to the basket at the other end.

The 21-year NBA veteran stepped to the charity stripe to win the game but missed his first attempt.

His second sailed into the hoop to improve his tally to 37 points from 73.7 per cent field-goal shooting. He finished with a team-high eight assists.

With one last chance to seal victory, Dillon Brooks' long-range three-point attempt deflected from the backboard and the Lakers held on for their fifth win in six games.

Veteran Kevin Durant had 39 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the Phoenix Suns' 140-137 double overtime defeat of the Utah Jazz.

Utah's Lauri Markkanen (38 points, 17 rebuonds) booked overtime with a lay-up that tied the game at 115 in the final 20 seconds.

Once there, a three-pointer from Grayson Allen put the Suns in front in the final minute of the second period, before Devin Booker (26 points, eight assists) sealed victory with two free throws.

An 11th-hour dunk from Kristaps Porzingis helped Boston survive a scare from Memphis and run out 102-100 winners on the road.

Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum pivoted around to find a cutting Porzingis, whose two-handed dunk put the Bostonians in front.

Memphis missed two shots that could have helped snatch the game back and had another blocked, slipping to 3-10 for the season as the Celtics pieced together a six-game winning streak.

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store