Still without Jimmy Butler or Caleb Martin, the Heat however got off to the best start behind the 3-pointers of Haywood Highsmith, Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic. The gap rises to +10 (18-8) but it will be the biggest gap of the match in favor of the locals, while Chet Holmgren Then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander launch the Thunder.
The Heat kept control (35-29) at the end of the first quarter but the debates were balanced. Erik Spoelstra can count on a good Nikola Jokic to allow Miami to keep the advantage but Jalen Williams shows all his progress as a second creator. He serves Chet Holmgren in the alley-oop or shifts his shooters.
The Heat are still in the lead (69-65) after returning from the locker room but things will quickly change. Raising the tone in defense, with Cason Wallace making his impact felt, and sending Jalen Williams into orbit on the counterattack, OKC scored a 13-0 which gave it control of the match (69-78)!
Miami recovered and even regained the advantage at the end of the third quarter (96-95) but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a complicated layup before going to take his traditional rest at the start of the fourth quarter.
The Floridians then undoubtedly think they can take advantage of it, except that the Thunder will completely dominate the start of the fourth quarter, Vasilije Micic and Jalen Williams perfectly setting up the Oklahoma City attack to sign a 17-0 which will put KO his opponent (96-112).
Miami will come back to six points approaching the last minute (126-120) but will not be able to achieve the hold-up. A little defocused at the end, the Thunder had too much margin, like this bad pass from Chet Holmgren, which the Thunder interior caught up with in stride by sticking a huge counter to Tyler Herro. 120-128 for OKC.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Two accelerator strokes that hurt. A 13-0 to start the third quarter, a 13-0 to start the fourth quarter (which makes a 17-0 straddling the previous quarter). The Thunder made two big accelerations, raising the tone defensively, which made the Heat fold.
– Jalen Williams is progressing visibly. This is one of the keys to the Thunder's current success. The progress shown by Jalen Williams as a second creator has taken OKC to a whole new dimension. Again this night, he came close to a triple-double (19 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds) by signing his record for assists in a match. Above all, it allows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to rest, while it was without the Canadian that Oklahoma City made the difference in the fourth quarter.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
