Three Takeaways From the OKC Thunder's Second-Half Explosion in Miami
The Oklahoma City Thunder used a couple of big runs to take care of business in Miami.
The Thunder’s 128-120 win over the Miami Heat was tightly contested for the first three quarters before the Thunder pulled away. To get in a position to take control of the game, the OKC made some halftime adjustments.
Trailing by four points at the half, Oklahoma City started the third quarter with Cason Wallace on the floor and started with a 13-0 run. That propelled the team to a solid lead, but Miami responded and took the lead back later in the quarter.
The Thunder used a 17-0 run that began at the end of the third and continued into the fourth to secure a win to finish their road trip. Although they were shorthanded, beating Bam Adebayo and the defending Eastern Conference champions on the road was no simple task.
Let’s dive into three lessons that can be learned from yesterday’s game:
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Jalen Williams needs the ball in his hands
The Thunder’s second-year forward has proved over the past few games that he can be a reliable option to run the offense. While Williams has always been comfortable as a primary ball handler, his skills to get teammates involved have blossomed recently.
With a career-high 12 assists against the Heat, Williams consistently set up teammates with open shots and easy buckets. Of course, the Santa Clara product is also a talented scorer.
He scored 19 on Wednesday and shot 8-of-15 from the field, marking his sixth-straight game of shooting at least 50%. Considering how he has played over the past month or so, Williams could be the key to a deep playoff run.
OKC’s efficiency starts with the stars
In Miami, the Thunder continued a trend of their great efficiency this season by shooting nearly 60% from the floor and better than 40% from 3-point range. While getting to those numbers is not easy, the Thunder have done so, thanks to their star players.
Of course, Williams played great in Miami, but it was the guard-center duo that put up eye-catching numbers on absurd efficiency. Starting with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the guard put up a game-high 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting and also helped his teammates out with eight assists.
Meanwhile, rookie big man Chet Holmgren made a significant difference for the Thunder down low. Despite going up against Adebayo, Holmgren finished with 23 points and nine rebounds while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor, including 9-of-10 inside the arc.
Changing the lineup after halftime is a valuable tool
To start the third quarter, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault inserted Cason Wallace into the rest of the starting lineup. Taking Lu Dort’s place, the rookie quickly made an impact.
Wallace made a 3-pointer almost immediately out of the halftime break to help the Thunder make a run to take the lead. Giving the team a non-traditional look appeared to be a catalyst for the run.
Whether he comes in for Dort again or the Thunder go with Isaiah Joe or others, they could catch teams off guard. It’s also useful to get starters in a bit fresher for a mid-third quarter run.
A win in Miami capped off an otherwise disappointing road trip, but the Thunder have an opportunity to build on their last two wins. Their next chance to do so is on Thursday when they host the Portland Trail Blazers to finish a back-to-back.
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