Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points and Chet Holmgren had 20 as the Oklahoma City Thunder returned from the All-Star break with a 130-107 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday in Salt Lake City.
Gilgeous-Alexander also handed out eight of the Thunder’s season-high 38 assists, with five other players dishing out at least four in the team’s eighth win in nine outings.
Jalen Williams had a special night, totaling 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists while playing against younger brother Cody Williams for the first time in their NBA careers. Cody Williams, a rookie, missed the teams’ first two meetings this season.
John Collins scored a game-high 26 points and Keyonte George, who had some nice moments during All-Star weekend, added 20 points and six assists in Utah’s loss.
Jordan Clarkson contributed 19 points and Walker Kessler hauled in 19 rebounds, but the Jazz still lost for the 14th time in their past 17 games. Utah has dropped five of the past six.
Jalen Williams, Isaiah Joe, Holmgren and Gilgeous-Alexander played pivotal roles in a second-quarter surge when the Thunder turned a five-point lead into a 25-point advantage before the break.
Utah got within 13 points in the fourth quarter but couldn’t complete the comeback attempt.
The Williams brothers exchanged jerseys after the game.
Jazz leading scorer Lauri Markkanen struggled with the Thunder’s height, hitting just 2 of 14 shots and finishing with five points.
Holmgren opened the game with a 3-pointer and Gilgeous-Alexander hit a step-back jumper to put the Thunder up 5-0, and Oklahoma City never relinquished the lead the rest of the way.
The Thunder took a seven-point edge into the second quarter and then surged ahead 68-47 entering halftime.
Oklahoma City rookie Branden Carlson, a Utah native who played for nearby Bingham High School and the University of Utah, hit a 3-pointer in front of his fan club in the final minutes.
