Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a narrow 117-115 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies to complete a four-game sweep and become the first team to advance to the NBA Western Conference semifinals.Jalen Williams added 23 points for the Thunder, the team with the best record in the NBA at 68-14, and will now await the winner of the series between the Denver Nuggets, fourth seed, and Los Angeles Clippers, fifth.
The Grizzlies played without their star Ja Morant, who injured his hip in a hard fall in Game 3. That night, the Thunder erased a 29-point deficit after Morant’s injury to complete the second-largest comeback in a postseason game since play-by-play recording began in 1996-97.
Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Isaiah Joe each scored 11 points for the Thunder, with the German center adding 12 rebounds. While Scotty Pippen Jr. matched his career high with 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama each scored 23 points.
The game remained close for three quarters and the Thunder went into the final quarter with an 88-85 lead, with a poor 4-of-29 shooting from three-point range. However, a Williams three-pointer with 5:41 left in the game gave the Thunder a 102-92 lead, the first time either team had reached double digits. Memphis reacted and a Bane three-pointer with 7.1 seconds left cut the lead to 116-114.
After six lead changes and five ties in the half, Oklahoma City led 60-59 at the break.
Cavs hand Heat historic loss and move closer to sweep
In Miami, despite a poor afternoon from Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers thrashed the Miami Heat with the biggest differential in their history and are on the verge of a sweep after a painful 124-87 loss in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference series
Jarrett Allen scored 22 points, De’Andre Hunter added 21 and the Cavaliers went on an early 33-5 run, outrebounding their rivals 46-29 and outscoring them 60-30 in the paint.
“Our guys knew that was the key: to rebound and win the rebounding battle,” said Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson. “We really executed the defense.”
Evan Mobley scored 19 points and Max Strus added 18 for Cleveland. Ty Jerome had 13 points and 11 assists in 22 minutes (he finished with +33) and Mitchell scored 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Darius Garland, their All-Star point guard, was unavailable due to a sprained toe.
“Look, our guys really want this and it probably looks like they don’t,” said the heartbroken Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “But I know how our last six weeks have been, just fighting, clawing and scratching to get to this. Clearly a very disappointing day,” Spoelstra said.
Bam Adebayo scored 22 points and Davion Mitchell added 16 for Miami. The Heat’s worst playoff loss before Saturday was by 36 points in Game 3 of the 2013 NBA Finals in San Antonio.
The Cavs will try to complete the sweep in Game 4 against Miami on Monday.
The halftime score was 62-42, and Cleveland missed its first eight shots of the second half. But Miami only scored four points in that span, wasting an opportunity. Cleveland led 88-64 going into the final quarter, with the game already decided.
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