Luguentz Dort hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give the Oklahoma City Thunder a 102-99 win over the visiting San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
The Spurs, looking for the last shot, turned the ball over with 3.9 seconds left, giving the Thunder a chance to end the game in regulation.
Instead of going to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored a career-high 42 points, Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault elected to go to Dort, who sank two treys earlier in the period.
Gilgeous-Alexander inbounded to Al Horford, who drove toward the lane before kicking out to an open Dort, who nailed the shot as the buzzer sounded.
Dort fell to the ground with his arms raised as the shot sailed through.
The Spurs were playing for the first time since Feb. 14, when four of their players tested positive for COVID-19 following a win in Charlotte.
Those players — Rudy Gay, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Derrick White — remained out Wednesday. Quinndary Weatherspoon, who was in the NBA’s health and safety protocol before the Valentine’s Day game, also remained out.
The Spurs recalled Luka Samanic and Tre Jones from the G League to assure they’d have enough players available to play. Samanic was in the starting lineup after playing less than 11 minutes total in four games this season for San Antonio before Wednesday.
The game was tight throughout, with Dort helping the Thunder go up by seven with 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions, the second coming with just more than three minutes remaining.
San Antonio tied it in the final minute and had a chance to win before Patty Mills was called for a double-dribble.
Gilgeous-Alexander poured it on in the third quarter, scoring 21 of Oklahoma City’s 36 points. Gilgeous-Alexander hit all five of his field-goal attempts — including a trio of 3-pointers — in the quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished 13 of 20 from the field and 6 of 11 from beyond the arc. He hadn’t hit more than four 3-pointers in a game during his career before Wednesday.
Dort and Horford added 16 points each for the Thunder.
Dejounte Murray led San Antonio with 27 points on 12-of-20 shooting. Mills was next with 15. Lonnie Walker IV scored 12 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge contributed 11.
–Field Level Media
