Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points and the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder defeated Washington 132-111 on Saturday in a second-quarter scrimmage that resulted in four ejections.
Reigning NBA MVP Gilgeous-Alexander had seven assists and three rebounds, scoring 40 points for the seventh time this season.
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Chet Holmgren had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Isaiah Hartenstein had 9 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Thunder are first in the league with a 56-15 record and have won 11 consecutive games, while the Wizards are second-worst in the league with a 16-54 record and have lost their 15th straight game.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points in the first half, extending his NBA streak of scoring more than 20 points to 131 games.
However, the victory was overshadowed by a fiery first-half melee that resulted in a series of ejections.
The altercation, which led to an 11-minute timeout, occurred with 27 seconds left in the second quarter and Oklahoma City leading 68-63.
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Thunder forward Jaylin Williams was holding the ball under the basket and twice hit Washington’s Justin Champagne.
Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell stepped up to confront Champany but was slapped for starting the fight.
Referee Nate Green pushed Champagne back in an attempt to ease the tension, and Mitchell kept going, being pushed forward and into the cameras as a wave of players fell behind the baseline, all trying to support their teams in the melee.
Washington’s Champagne was assessed two technical fouls and ejected, while Williams was assessed two technical fouls and ejected.
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Mitchell and Thunder teammate Carson Wallace were both ejected after an argument escalated.
Washington’s Mitchell scored 14 points, Wallace scored 4 points, Williams did not score a point, and Champany scored 3 points.
Oklahoma City led 69-64 at halftime, but was without two starters and key backup Williams in the second half, setting the stage for the reigning MVP to seize command.
Gilgeous-Alexander made his first 3-pointer of the game at the buzzer, the last of his 16 points in the third quarter, to give the Thunder a 103-96 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma City then outscored Washington 15-0 in the first 5 minutes and 48 seconds of the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
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