Keldon Johnson poured in 22 points and Chris Paul had a double-double that included a crucial 3-pointer with 1:27 left as the short-handed San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-104 on Tuesday in a wild West Group B game in the NBA Cup.
It was the first NBA Cup win for San Antonio, which had lost four last season and one this year. Both the Spurs and Thunder are 1-1 in the group standings with two more Cup games to play.
The Spurs scored the final seven points of the first half and the first 11 of the second to sweep to a 14-point lead two minutes into the third quarter. That advantage expanded to 16 points heading into the final period and 98-77 with 10 minutes to play.
Oklahoma City cut the deficit to six points, 107-101, on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 3-pointer with 1:22 left. The teams traded baskets from beyond the arc, but the Thunder could get no closer.
Harrison Barnes added 20 points for San Antonio, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Paul racked up 14 points and 11 assists; Julian Champagnie, Zach Collins and Charles Bassey scored 12 apiece and Stephon Castle tallied 10.
The Spurs played without Victor Wembanyama (bruised right knee) and Devin Vassell (left knee soreness) for the second straight game.
Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 32 points while Jalen Williams added 27 for the Thunder. Cason Wallace scored 13 and Aaron Wiggins tallied 11. Luguentz Dort took a game-high 12 rebounds.
Oklahoma City held a 35-32 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended the margin to 48-38 on Dillon Jones’ 3-pointer midway through the second quarter.
Johnson carried San Antonio back into the game, going high for rousing dunk between three defenders and then canning a 3-pointer from the corner to put the Spurs up 58-57 with 1:16 left. San Antonio led 60-57 at the break.
Johnson led all scorers with 17 points by halftime while hitting five of his six 3-point attempts. Harrison Barnes added 13 points for the Spurs.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams had 14 points apiece to pace Oklahoma City, with Wiggins contributing 11 points.
