Fourth Quarter Run Propels OKC Thunder to Comeback Win Over Miami

Nothing about OKC’s first three quarters against the Miami Heat signaled that they would end the evening on top. Luckily, a scoring explosion from star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and some tightening up on the defensive end led to a 115-101 victory.

One game before the battle with the Heat, the Thunder set a record for most three-point makes with 27, beating the New Orleans Pelicans easily. Against Miami, OKC’s shooting couldn’t have been any colder.

After going 4-for-16 from the perimeter in the first half, OKC saw themselves in quite the hole. A late triple from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander increased that total and decreased its deficit, trailing 63-52 heading into the locker room.

Like usual, Gilgeous-Alexander put the scoring total on his back. He opened the game with 15 points on 4-for-9 shooting, going 6-for-8 at the free throw line at the same time. His scoring would prove even more vital later in the game as OKC attempted to crawl back into it.

On the opposite end, Miami’s Bam Adebayo got out to a hot first-half start. He recorded 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the first 24 minutes of play. He finished the game with 27 points and 15 rebound, leading his team in both categories.

Miami’s defense did a great job of disrupting play in the first half, contesting shots and showing active hands. The Thunder would go on to turn the ball over 13 times, two more than its per-game average. Miami’s catalyst of that was recently acquired guard Davion Mitchell, who thrived on intense ball pressure and physical isolation defense.

OKC did slow down in the turnover department, taking care of the ball much better in the second half. It was neccesary to mount a fourth-quarter comeback.

As the second half started, OKC still struggled to garner momentum on both sides of the ball. Miami’s defense stayed solid throughout and the Thunder needed someone to step up and create on offense. Guard Jalen Williams made his best attempt at that, finding comfort around the rim and in his mid-range spots of choice.

Even with the slight boost from Williams, the Heat never handed its lead away. Gilgeous-Alexander was also completely locked down on offense, scoring minimally in the third quarter. Fortunately for the Thunder, he would come alive later.

OKC did get a pleasant bench boost from forward Kenrich Williams, who finished the night with 14 points and four rebounds on 5-for-8 shooting. In a game where scoring was scarce, his point total was impactful.

The Thunder finally got an offensive spurt to start the fourth quarter, thanks to triples from Lu Dort and Gilgeous-Alexander. That small run progressed into an OKC lead, going up 96-93 after another three from Gilgeous-Alexander. This stretch would mark OKC’s taking over of the game, putting them in a position to walk away with a win.

It took a while, but Gilgeous-Alexander finally exploded onto the scoring scene. He finished the game with 32 points on 11-for-22 shooting, eclipsing his per-game scoring average. He also added nine assists to his stat line. Williams also steadily increased his total by the game’s end, finishing with 18 on 7-for-15 shooting.

The run the Thunder went on to open the fourth quarter was truly impressive. A triple from Isaiah Joe capped a 24-0 run by OKC, completely shutting Miami down in every aspect of the game. The stunned Miami Heat could do nothing but let OKC go on its run.

After the impressive comeback, OKC has a game the following day against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road at 7:30 p.m. CT.

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