CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Josh Giddey had 20 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds for his 11th career triple-double, Isaiah Joe had two key 3-pointers in the final 1:30 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Charlotte Hornets 121-118 on Sunday night to snap a three-game losing streak.
The Thunder had lost their previous three games — their longest skid of the season — with stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams out with injuries.
But Aaron Wiggins stepped up with 26 points and Chet Holmgren had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Thunder escaped with a win when the cold-shooting Brandon Miller missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have sent it to overtime.
Grant Williams led the Hornets with 19 points, and Vasa Micic had 17 points and 10 assists.
Oklahoma City entered the game third in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games behind first-place Denver.
But Micic, Tre Mann and Davis Bertans — three players they traded to the Hornets on Feb. 8 for Gordon Hayward, nearly took away any hopes of improving their playoff seeding.
Micic made plays all night, Mann had 18 points and six assists and Bertans had 12 points on four 3s helping the Hornets cut the Thunder's 10-point halftime lead to one entering the fourth quarter.
Charlotte held its first lead of the game at 106-105 with five minutes left to play when Micic hit Nick Rick Richards with a wild rolling pick-and-roll alley-oop for a dunk bringing the home crowd to its feet.
It would go back and forth from there before Joe splashed a 3 for a 117-115 Thunder lead with 1:27 left.
Micic would tie the game on a drive, but Joe hit another 3 from the top of key to give the OKC the edge. Miles Bridges has two chances to tie the game in the final minute but missed both 3s on the other end.
The final 20 seconds were frantic.
Dort made one of two free throws with 17.4 seconds left to make it a four-point game.
After the Thunder were called for a dead-ball foul, Miller made one free throw but then elected to drive to the hole instead of shoot a potential tying 3, cutting the lead to one. The Hornets fouled Giddey and he made two free throws on the other end. Miller then missed a leaning 3 at the buzzer.
Bridges and Miller were a combined 2 of 15 from behind the arc.
UP NEXT:
Thunder: Close out season with a four-game homestand beginning Tuesday night against Sacramento.
Hornets: Host Dallas on Tuesday night in their final home game.