Rebounding dominance and a second-half surge fueled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander propelled the Thunder past the Heat's offensive onslaught.
The Oklahoma City Thunder got a home victory on Sunday night against the Miami Heat in a game that felt a lot like Friday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Miami came out hot, especially from beyond the arc, and built an early lead that the Thunder had to chip away at for the entirety of the first half.
When it was all said and done, the Heat ended up with a ridiculously efficient offensive night, shooting 53.7% from the floor and 53.1% from three. Miami finished with seven more made threes than OKC, and the Thunder struggled again from deep, hitting just 29.4% while also shooting worse overall than the Heat from the field.
But in a rarity, OKC won the game the old-school way, by dominating the glass. The Thunder pulled down 13 offensive rebounds to Miami’s five, generating 26 second-chance points to the Heat’s one. That rebounding gap was the difference, because it allowed Oklahoma City to take ten more shots than Miami, which is one of the only ways to survive an opponent shooting that well.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 29 points and completely flipped the game coming out of halftime. He scored 16 in the third quarter alone, which was the stretch where the Thunder finally grabbed control. In the second half, OKC outscored Miami 70-53, the second straight game the Thunder has dominated after the break to turn a tight one into a win. The third quarter was the separation point. Oklahoma City won it 39-26, a 13-point swing that proved to be enough to pull away and then hold the lead.
Chet Holmgren chipped in 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Jalen Williams added 18 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Ajay Mitchell provided a major lift off the bench with 16, and Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins chipped in 11 apiece. It was a balanced scoring night for OKC, even if it wasn’t the cleanest or most efficient performance.
The Thunder didn’t shoot it particularly well, and it wasn’t their sharpest defensive night, but the team grinded out another win anyway, improving to 33-7 on the season, still the best record in the NBA.
Up next is a big one, against the San Antonio Spurs, who have beaten the Thunder three times already this season. Nearly half of OKC’s losses have come at the hands of San Antonio, which makes Tuesday night at home a chance to finally break through and get their first win of the year against the Spurs in what should be one of the most anticipated games of the month on the NBA calendar.