Gilgeous-Alexander scores 26 as Thunder beat Clippers 103-101 for 6th straight victory

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 26 points and eight assists, Aaron Wiggins scored 19 points and the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder extended their winning streak to six games by holding on to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 103-101 on Sunday night.

Alex Caruso scored 14 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:54 remaining after Oklahoma City squandered a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter. Isaiah Hartenstein added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Jaylin Williams scored 12 points.

The Thunder won despite missing Jalen Williams (hip) and Chet Holmgren (hip), their second- and third-leading scorers.

Kawhi Leonard had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and James Harden scored 17 points for the Clippers, who had their five-game winning streak halted in head coach Tyronn Lue’s return to the bench. Lue missed the previous two games because of back pain.

Thunder: Even at less than full strength, the Thunder proved to be a force. In addition to missing Holmgren and Jalen Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander shot a season-worst 24.1% (7 of 29) from the field and Oklahoma City still managed to beat the streaking Clippers.

Clippers: Even with Leonard back healthy, Los Angeles goes as Harden goes. Harden shot just 4 of 14 from the field, committed six turnovers and made a critical blunder in the final seconds, spoiling the Clippers' comeback attempt.

The Clippers had the ball in the waning seconds down by a point, but Harden held the ball too late into the shot clock. He passed it off late to Leonard, who threw a wild turnaround jumper that hit the back of the rim, ending the Clippers’ hopes.

The Thunder went 4-0 against the Clippers this season.

The Thunder are at Sacramento on Tuesday. The Clippers visit New York on Wednesday.

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

Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) goes over the back of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) while being fouled during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) tries to steal the ball away from Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) is fouled by Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) as guard James Harden (1) tries to help on defense during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drive past Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) is fouled by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is fouled by Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) blocks the shot of Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket against the Los Angeles Clippers defense during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press is returning to a federal courtroom on Thursday to ask a judge to restore its full access to presidential events, after the White House retaliated against the news outlet last month for not following President Trump’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

In a hearing last month, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden refused the AP’s request for an injunction to stop the White House from barring reporters and photographers from events in the Oval Office and Air Force One. He urged the Trump administration to reconsider its ban before Thursday’s hearing. It hasn't.

“It seems pretty clearly viewpoint discrimination,” McFadden told the government's attorney at the time.

The AP has sued Trump’s team for punishing a news organization for using speech that it doesn’t like. The news outlet said it would still refer to the Gulf of Mexico in its style guidance to clients around the world, while also noting that Trump has ordered it renamed the Gulf of America.

“For anyone who thinks the Associated Press’s lawsuit against President Trump’s White House is about the name of a body of water, think bigger,” Julie Pace, the AP’s executive editor, wrote in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. “It’s really about whether the government can control what you say.”

The White House said it has the right to decide who gets to question the president, and has taken steps to take over a duty that has been handled by journalists for decades.

The president has dismissed the AP as a group of “radical left lunatics” and said that “we’re going to keep them out until such time as they agree that it’s the Gulf of America.”

The AP has still covered the president, and has been permitted in White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s press briefings, but the ban has cost the organization time in reporting and impeded its efforts to get still images. Even if McFadden rules in favor of the news organization, it’s unclear how the White House will respond to the judge’s order.

The White House Correspondents' Association has asked its members to show solidarity with the AP on Thursday, perhaps by showing up at the courtroom or wearing a pin that signifies the importance of the First Amendment.

The case is one of several aggressive moves the second Trump administration has taken against the press since his return to office, including FCC investigations against ABC, CBS and NBC News, dismantling the government-run Voice of America and threatening funding for public broadcasters PBS and NPR.

A Trump executive order to change the name of the United States’ largest mountain back to Mount McKinley from Denali is being recognized by the AP. Trump has the authority to do so because the mountain is completely within the country he oversees, AP has said.

Writing in the Journal, Pace said the AP didn’t ask for the fight and made efforts to resolve the issue before going to court, but needed to stand on principle.

“If we don’t step up to defend Americans’ right to speak freely," she wrote, "who will?”

David Bauder covers media for The Associated Press. Follow him at

FILE - The Associated Press logo is shown at the entrance to the news organization's office in New York on Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Jackson, File