NBA DAILY RECAP: Thunder, Pistons grab 2-0 lead

Sports

THE defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons took care of business in a pair of crucial home games as they surged to a 2-0 lead in their respective semifinal series on Friday (Philippine time), May 8.

The Thunder pulled away in the endgame to flatten the LA Lakers, 125-107, while the Pistons also used a strong finishing kick to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 107-97.

After going empty in the first two games, the Lakers and the Cavaliers will try to stay in the series when they host Games 3 and 4.

Shai Gilegous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each fire 22 points to lead the Thunder, who outscored the Lakers in the final half, 68-49, after trailing by a point at the bend, 58-59.

Ajay Mitchell added 20 points while Jared McCain came off the bench to add 18 markers for the Thunder. Cason Wallace and Isaiah Hartenstein also scored in double figures for the Thunder with 12 and 10, respectively.

Austin Raves fired 31 points to lead the Lakers while LeBron James had 23.

Cade Cunningham, meanwhile, tallied 25 points and Tobias Harris 21 as the Pistons limited the Cavaliers to just six points in the final five minutes to ice the win.

Duncan Robinson tossed in 17 points, Dannis Jenkins had 14, while Ausar Thompson had 10 in the win.

Leading the Cavaliers was Donovan Mitchell, who dropped 31 points.(CCM)