Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 48 points and Thunder hold off Pistons 113-107

DETROIT (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 48 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Detroit Pistons 113-107 on Saturday night.

Gilgeous-Alexander shot 17 of 26 from the floor, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and added six assists and three steals for Oklahoma City, which won for the ninth time in 10 games.

Cason Wallace added 20 points for Thunder, and Isaiah Hartenstein had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Detroit's Cade Cunningham matched a season low with 11 points on 5-of-18 shooting before being ejected for arguing calls late in the third quarter.

Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 18 points, while reserve Dennis Schroder had 17 points and 11 assists in place of Cunningham.

Detroit trailed 91-75 until Malik Beasley's buzzer-beating layup at the end of the third quarter. His 3-pointer pulled the Pistons within 98-97 with 4:16 left.

Gilgeous-Alexander answered with a 3, a runner in the lane and a layup to make it 106-100 with 2:07 left before setting up Wallace for a clinching 3-pointer.

Thunder: Luguentz Dort left after appearing to injure himself slipping on the court with 48 seconds left in the third quarter. He didn't play in the fourth quarter.

Pistons: Held a moment of silence before the game for Junior Bridgeman, who died Monday at 75. Bridgeman played 12 NBA seasons, mostly for the Bucks, then became a highly successful businessman.

The Pistons were called for five technicals in the third quarter, including three during an extended argument with 48 seconds left in the period. Cunningham received both of his at that point, along with Schroder. Oklahoma City ended up with four points on the possession, increasing its lead from 11 to 15.

The Pistons made 50% (8 of 16) of their first-half 3-point attempts and held the Thunder to 22.7% (5 of 22) from behind the arc, but still trailed 55-54 at the half. Oklahoma City had a 7-2 edge on the offensive glass and forced 11 turnovers, while only committing seven.

The Thunder play Sunday in Milwaukee, while Detroit is in New Orleans on Monday. —

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) looks to shoot against Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) has his shot blocked by Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) goes to the basket against Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) reacts after being whistled for a foul during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, top, looks to shoot against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, left, and guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) shoots against Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) can't reach a rebound against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio, second from left, drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guards Cason Wallace (22) and Isaiah Joe, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) shoots a jumper against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

French President Emmanuel Macron has fleshed out some possible missions that could be undertaken by a military support force for Ukraine that Paris and London are working to put together with other nations, in a so-called “coalition of the willing” that could deploy after any ceasefire with Russia.

Speaking to French media ahead of an online summit that the U.K. hosted on Saturday, Macron said the French-British blueprint doesn’t aim to deploy a “mass” of soldiers in Ukraine and instead envisages stationing troop contingents in key locations.

Macron’s office said Sunday that it couldn’t provide a recording of the French leader’s exchange with reporters from regional French newspapers on Friday night.

But according to La Dépêche du Midi and Le Parisien, the French president spoke of participating nations each deploying several thousand troops to “key points” in Ukraine. Their missions could include providing training and supporting Ukrainian defenses, to demonstrate long-term support for Kyiv, the reports quoted Macron as saying.

Macron added that the proposed contingents from countries that are members of the NATO alliance would serve as “a guarantee of security” for Ukraine and that “several European nations, and also non-European, have expressed their willingness to join such an effort when it is confirmed,” La Dépêche reported.

Le Parisien cited Macron as saying that Moscow’s agreement wasn't needed for such deployment. “Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for Allied forces to be on its territory, it’s not up to Russia to accept or not," he said.

Following Saturday’s two-hour virtual meeting, Starmer challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to sign up to a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine if he is serious about peace, and said allies will keep increasing the pressure on the Kremlin, including by moving planning for a peacekeeping force to an “operational phase.”

Around 30 leaders were involved in the call, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as officials from NATO and the European Union.

It was the second such meeting in two weeks, meant to help Ukraine face a change of approach by the U.S. following the return of President Donald Trump, as well as gauging support for any future possible peacekeeping mission. Many more countries were involved this time than the previous meeting on March 2.

According to Starmer, military planners will convene again in the U.K. on Thursday to progress practical plans to support Ukraine’s future security.

French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, , shakes hands with Colonel-General Ruslan Khomchak, First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, as French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, right, and Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces Thierry Burkhard, left, look on during a meeting on the conflict in Ukraine at the Musee de la Marine as part of the Paris Defense and Strategy Forum in Paris, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron attends an official welcome ceremony for Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Invalides monument in Paris Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP)