NBA scores highlights March 22 2026
It was a full and action-packed Sunday in the NBA, with six games going final before the night’s late tip-offs. From Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s explosive 40-point masterclass to a nail-biting one-point Lakers win in Orlando, here’s everything that happened.
🏀 Oklahoma City Thunder 132 – Washington Wizards 111
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington | 2:30 AM IST
The Oklahoma City Thunder continued their dominant march through the season, dispatching the Washington Wizards 132–111 in a game that was never really in doubt after the first half.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the show. The MVP frontrunner poured in 40 points on 17-of-27 shooting (63%), adding 7 assists and 3 rebounds. He attacked the paint relentlessly, scoring 22 of his points in the paint, and finished with a game-high +11 plus/minus.
Isaiah Hartenstein was equally dominant on both ends, posting a massive double-double of 9 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists — a near triple-double that anchored the Thunder’s interior presence all night. Chet Holmgren added 18 points and 10 rebounds for another double-double, while Jared McCain chipped in 18 off the bench.
For Washington, Bilal Coulibaly led the way with 21 points on 53% shooting, and Bub Carrington added 19, but it wasn’t nearly enough as OKC’s bench outscored Washington’s reserves 47–45.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wizards | 32 | 32 | 32 | 15 | 111 |
| Thunder | 32 | 37 | 34 | 29 | 132 |
🏀 Charlotte Hornets 124 – Memphis Grizzlies 101
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte | 4:30 AM IST
Charlotte put on a shooting clinic to dismantle the Memphis Grizzlies by 23 points, with a dominant third quarter (38–28) effectively ending the contest early.
LaMelo Ball orchestrated the offence beautifully, finishing with 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting, including 7-of-14 from three (50%). He also added 4 assists and 3 steals. Brandon Miller was equally electric, contributing 22 points on 66.7% shooting with 5 three-pointers on 9 attempts. Miles Bridges added 13 efficient points on 75% shooting from two-point range.
Perhaps the most impressive individual line came from Moussa Diabate, who posted a dominant double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds while also recording 2 blocks and 3 assists off the bench. Charlotte’s bench outscored Memphis’s reserves 40–35.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 30 | 29 | 38 | 27 | 124 |
| Memphis | 26 | 21 | 28 | 26 | 101 |
🏀 Cleveland Cavaliers 111 – New Orleans Pelicans 106
Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans | 4:30 AM IST
A gripping finish in New Orleans saw the Cleveland Cavaliers survive a strong Pelicans push, outscoring the home side 35–18 in the final quarter to claim a 111–106 victory.
James Harden was the key conductor for Cleveland, recording a superb double-double of 20 points and 10 assists on 8-of-17 shooting, with a stellar 5.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Donovan Mitchell top-scored with 27 points and 7 rebounds, while Sam Merrill quietly compiled another double-double off the bench — 15 points and 10 rebounds.
For New Orleans, Zion Williamson was outstanding in a losing cause, posting 25 points on a blistering 71.4% shooting from the field, adding 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Saddiq Bey added 19 points on 50% from three, but New Orleans couldn’t hold on despite leading for much of the third quarter.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelicans | 28 | 28 | 32 | 18 | 106 |
| Cavaliers | 34 | 19 | 23 | 35 | 111 |
🏀 Los Angeles Lakers 105 – Orlando Magic 104
Venue: Kia Center, Orlando | 4:30 AM IST
The most dramatic finish of the night. The Los Angeles Lakers escaped Orlando with a one-point win, 105–104, in a game that went down to the wire.
Luka Doncic was the driving force with 33 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds, while Austin Reaves delivered a superb 26 points on 50% shooting, pulling down 7 rebounds and dishing 5 assists. LeBron James, though not at his most efficient (12 points on 38.5% shooting), contributed 4 assists and 3 steals in a vital supporting role and converted all 8 of his fast-break points.
Orlando was led by Paolo Banchero (16 pts, 6 assists, 3 steals) and Jalen Suggs (14 pts), but the Magic simply couldn’t convert enough shots when it mattered — shooting just 29.7% from three on the night. The Lakers’ superior paint dominance (52 points in the paint vs. Orlando’s 36) proved the decisive factor.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 30 | 35 | 22 | 17 | 104 |
| Lakers | 37 | 25 | 20 | 23 | 105 |
🏀 Houston Rockets 123 – Miami Heat 122 (FT)
Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami | 5:30 AM IST
A thriller in Miami as the Houston Rockets edged the Heat by a single point. Detailed box score data was still processing at time of publication.
🏀 San Antonio Spurs 134 – Indiana Pacers 119 (FT)
Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis | 5:30 AM IST
The San Antonio Spurs, one of the league’s best teams this season at 52–18, continued their impressive run with a 15-point road win over Indiana.
🏀 Still In Progress at Time of Writing
Atlanta Hawks 126 – Golden State Warriors 110 (Q4 – 11:59 remaining) The Hawks held a 16-point fourth-quarter lead in Atlanta.
Dallas Mavericks 101 – LA Clippers 105 (Q4 – 8:56 remaining) The Clippers held a narrow 4-point lead in Dallas heading into the final stretch.
Utah Jazz 49 – Philadelphia 76ers 50 (Q2 – 6:01 remaining) A tight first half in Utah with the 76ers narrowly ahead.
Phoenix Suns vs Milwaukee Bucks — Tip-off 7:30 AM IST, just underway
Night’s Top Performers: NBA scores highlights March 22 2026
| Player | Team | Points | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC | 40 | 17-27 FG, 7 AST, 22 paint pts |
| Luka Doncic | LAL | 33 | 8 AST, 5 REB, 4 STL |
| LaMelo Ball | CHA | 29 | 7-14 from 3, 3 STL |
| Donovan Mitchell | CLE | 27 | 7 REB, 5 FT drawn |
| Austin Reaves | LAL | 26 | 50% FG, 7 REB, 5 AST |
| Zion Williamson | NOP | 25 | 71.4% FG, 6 REB, 4 AST |
| Brandon Miller | CHA | 22 | 5-9 from 3, 66.7% FG |
| Isaiah Hartenstein | OKC | 9/20 REB/AST | Triple-double line: 9 pts, 20 reb, 10 ast |
