Gallinari scores 25, leads Thunder past Hawks 140-111
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Danilo Gallinari scored 25 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Atlanta Hawks 140-111 on Friday night for their fourth straight win.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points and Dennis Schroder added 21 for the Thunder, who shot 58% from the field and posted a season-high point total.
Trae Young, who was named an All-Star starter on Thursday, had 26 points and a season-high 16 assists. John Collins scored 28 points and Cam Reddish 20 for the Hawks.
Young grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and played a season of college ball at the University of Oklahoma, about a 30-minute drive south of Chesapeake Energy Arena. He was greeted warmly by Thunder fans during pregame introductions, but his shot was cold early. The league’s No. 3 scorer went scoreless until he made a free throw with 5:33 left in the second quarter. His first field goal came with 4:11 left in the second.
The Thunder led 66-58 at halftime. Young scored 11 points on 2-of-10 shooting before the break, and had eight assists.
The Thunder extended their lead to 104-90 by the end of the third quarter, and the game was never close in the fourth.
TIP-INS
Hawks: G/F DeAndre’ Bembry underwent a non-surgical procedure on his right hand Friday to address nerve inflammation and was not with the team. The Hawks said they will reassess his status before Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards. He averages 5.8 points and 3.5 rebounds. … Young missed Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers with a right thigh contusion.
Thunder: Were without starters Steven Adams and Terrance Ferguson. Adams, a center, was out for the second straight game with a left ankle sprain. He is averaging 11.3 points and 9.7 rebounds. Ferguson sat for personal reasons for the third straight game. He missed the game before those with an illness. … Reserve F Abdel Nader sat out with a left ankle sprain. … Paul hit a 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer to put Oklahoma City up 33-30.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Host Washington on Sunday.
Thunder: At Minnesota on Saturday.