The Sixers waved the white flag before the game even started. One by one, Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey were all ruled out. Despite that, the depleted Philly squad forced OKC to sweat out a close victory.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, left, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers’ Jeff Dowtin Jr. during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum ...

The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the nine-man Philadelphia 76ers 118-102 Tuesday night, securing three straight road wins. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 32 poi

Despite most — this beat writer included — assuming that the Sixers would have their doors blown off by the NBA's best team defense and individual scorer, the nine players donning red, white and blue played with absolutely no expectation that they were going to be on the wrong end of a blowout.

The banged up version of the Philadelphia 76ers put up a great effort, but they fall short to the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

The G League lineup for the Philadelphia 76ers made things interesting against the mighty Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points on 12-of-15 shooting to guide the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder to a 118-102 win over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

PHILADELPHIA — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points and Jalen Williams had 24 to lead the Oklahoma City ... 76ers with 25 points, and Jeff Dowtin Jr. had 18. Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander ...

The Sixers trailed by 21 points after the first 9:30 of “action,” by 16 after one quarter and watched the Thunder hit 13 of their first 15 shots from the field. A very MVP-like 32 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 24 from Jaylin Williams eventually asserted the Thunder’s obvious superiority.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points and Jalen Williams had 24 to lead the Oklahoma City ... with 25 points, and Jeff Dowtin Jr. had 18. Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander ...

Oklahoma City plays the Dallas Mavericks after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 54 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder's 123-114 victory against the Utah Jazz.

The Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder are playing the fourth and final matchup of the season in OKC on Thursday night, with both teams playing on the second night of a back-to-back. This budding rivalry nearly reached a boiling point last week,