Portland Trail Blazers interim coach pledged that his shorthanded team would do three things Sunday as it prepared to face the best team in the NBA.

“We’ll fight, we’ll give our best and compete at the highest level we can,” Splitter said, roughly 90 minutes before the Blazers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It wasn’t enough.

The Blazers gave the Thunder all they could handle for three and a half quarters, but the reigning NBA champions pulled away down the stretch on the way to a 123-115 victory before 17,597 at the Moda Center.

It was the third time the teams played each other this month and the Blazers — who defeated the Thunder on Nov. 5 — threatened to do what no other team in the league has done this season. Again.

But in the end, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander overcame a cold-shoot

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