OKC’s Big Three Overcomes Sluggish Start, Leads Thunder to Win over Heat

As Miami caught fire from long range early, Oklahoma City stayed the course to claim the victory.

The Oklahoma City Thunder came into Miami on Wednesday evening, leaving with a 128-120 win over the Heat and improving its record to 25-11.

With a hot shooting start from Miami, the Thunder struggled early but managed to bring things together to claim the victory.

It was the second night of a back-to-back for a Heat team missing three of its starters — Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Caleb Martin — as they looked to Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and Jaime Jaquez Jr. to step up.

All of Miami’s starting lineup would have productive nights, but it was Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith who had the hot hand.

Adebayo would end with 25 points and 11 rebounds, as Highsmith counted five threes for 19 points.

But Oklahoma City’s three-man show — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren — anchored the team throughout its slow start, combining for 70 points as a trio on the night.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s and Holmgren’s individual 28 and 23 points, as well as Williams’ 12 assists saved a relatively poor defensive game en route to its win.

Miami reached out to a quick 11-2 advantage just over two minutes into the game, as Herro and Highsmith produced quick for the depleted Heat.

Oklahoma City would hang around, keeping things manageable in single digits but could not quite take a first quarter lead — even despite Gilgeous-Alexander’s 11 points and Holmgren’s five.

But Williams would come alive in the second frame, as he contributed seven assists along with nine points by the end of the half — helping the Thunder claim its first lead, 65-64, with a minute to go in the second quarter before the Heat regained it.

Coming out of the break in a 69-65 deficit, a balanced effort and a couple jumpers knocked down saw them leak out with a nine-point lead in the second half’s opening minutes. 

Miami would sustain for some time though, reclaiming their lead later in the quarter before relinquishing it yet again, entering the fourth as the Thunder led 99-96.

The final frame saw Oklahoma City start out in rhythm like the third, as Lu Dort took advantage of a couple opportunities, as did Kenrich Williams with a trey ball to hop out to another nine-point lead.

The Heat couldn’t quite ever recover despite strong efforts both halfway through the quarter and down the late stretch from Jaquez, leaving the Thunder to end the first half of its back-to-back outings on the high side.

Next, Oklahoma City will take on the Portland Trail Blazers to cap off its back-to-back at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday inside Paycom Center.

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