Game Grades: Big runs help OKC Thunder salvage road trip
By Ivan White
The Oklahoma City Thunder took another step toward the No. 1 seed in the West.
The Thunder beat the Miami Heat 128-120 on Wednesday to cap off a four-game road trip. While the road trip started poorly for the Thunder, they managed to rebound and finish 2-2 with an impressive win against the reigning Eastern Conference champions.
The Thunder won due to excellent play from their stars, as usual, but a couple of big runs were key to their win. Entering halftime with a four-point deficit, the Thunder came out swinging in the third quarter.
An impressive second half propelled the OKC Thunder toward the top of the West.
The Thunder began the third quarter on a 13-0 run that prompted recently extended Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to burn a quick timeout. While the Thunder had built a solid lead, the Heat made their way back into the game.
With a 12-2 run later in the third, Miami briefly pulled back ahead to set up an exciting fourth quarter. However, Oklahoma City was not interested in excitement, only business.
The Heat led 96-95 after Josh Richardson’s jumper in the final minute of the third quarter. While a couple of scores by the Thunder sent them into the fourth with a lead, a 17-0 run put them up 16 and squashed the Heat’s hopes.