MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up an ideal capturing first quarter (7-for-7, 16 factors), an aggressive free throw line (11-for-13), and a stepback straightaway game-winner to stop Oklahoma Metropolis from falling behind like in Recreation 3 and full a hard-fought sweep of the Grizzlies. The Thunder had been capable of accomplish the 4-0 outcome regardless of capturing a horrid x-for-xx behind the arc.
Gilgeous-Alexander (38 factors, 6 assists, and a pair of steals) had an excellent closeout sport with Jalen Williams (23 factors and 5 assists) battling alongside.
Rookie Scotty Pippen, Jr. (30 factors and 11 rebounds) put up a powerful statline changing Ja Morant within the beginning line-up earlier than fouling out with 61 seconds left. Santi Aldama (23 factors and 9 rebounds) and Desmond Bane (23 factors and 5 assists) capably competed tonight over the primary 3+ quarters of motion. Zach Edey (8 level, 8 rebounds, and seven blocks) additionally availed himself nicely in opposition to the vaunted OKC frontline earlier than fouling out in crunch time, as nicely.
The groups began sport 4 furiously placing up factors and capturing lights out. Memphis staked itself to an early benefit behind Pippen, Jr’s earnest try to duplicate Morant’s output. Jalen Williams performed major playmaker to begin, however Gilgeous-Alexander excelled in looking for his personal shot – beginning 7-for-7. Caruso’s steal of a careless Jackson, Jr. post-up led to a Cason Wallace transition bucket. Whereas Memphis prevented an anticipated flat begin (after that implosion the opposite night time), they nonetheless left the interval down 31-34.
The second quarter devolved right into a slugfest, and the combatants had hassle creating separation. Former Laker and Bull Alex Caruso and former Knick Isaiah Hartenstein had been absolute nuisances on each ends and helped spell the Thunder starters. The groups stayed inside 1-2 posessions of one another all through the rest of the half. The play was so compeitively powerful that point stood nonetheless (i.e., the sport clock began caught at 2:58 for about 10 seconds). The referees additionally swallowed their whistles over the past minutes. Oklahoma Metropolis maintained a 60-59 benefit on the half.
Simply as with the earlier two quarters, the groups couldn’t achieve separation from one another. Gilgeous-Alexander carried the Thunder together with his prodigious scoring expertise, whereas Memphis continued to wrestle cobbling collectively productive possessions. Jackson, Jr. tried at occasions to seize the mantle, and Pippen, Jr. attacked very fiercely, and their staff couldn’t shut the hole sufficient. Memphis remained down 85-88 after three.
Observations
From what I noticed on this sequence, Luke Kennard, whereas a key contributor within the common season, appeared to be performed off the ground together with his suspect protection.
Jackson, Jr. is so foul susceptible – he’s far sufficient into his profession the place I don’t see him altering his methods a lot. His fifth foul solely three minutes into the fourth was notably egregious.
Jalen Williams has such a lightning fast first step.
Cleveland’s Recreation 3 destruction of Miami (by 37 factors) managed to eke out the 36-point whipping San Antonio gave the Warmth within the 2013 Finals Recreation 3. That was the Danny Inexperienced and Gary Neal sport.
Sequence of the Recreation #1: Anytime Gilgeous-Alexander had the ball within the first quarter and gathered himself to place up a shot (that went in).
Sequence of the Recreation #2: Holmgren swatted away a Pippen, Jr. shot try late within the third, and drove it down the center of the court docket earlier than discovering Aaron Wiggins filling the appropriate lane for a lay-up.
Recreation Rundown
Pippen, Jr. willed residence a banker and fed Santi Aldama for a wing three to get Memphis 5 fast factors. Aldama knocked residence his second three moments later, whereas Gilgeous-Alexander hit a powerful midrange jumper. Troublesome layups by Pippen, Jr. and Bane over Chet Holmgren bumped the Grizzly result in seven. Jalen Williams discovered success from 14-20 ft. The groups mainly handled the primary handful of minutes like a preseason tune-up and put up 36 complete factors midway by way of. Harteinstein swallowed up a number of offensive rebounds for straightforward buckets, and Gilgeous-Alexander’s steal and transition lay-up trimmed the deficit to at least one. The groups traded blows, and the Thunder exited the primary up three.
Low season acquisitions Hartenstein and Caruso helped develop the OKC result in begin the second interval. Jackson, Jr. and Bane scrapped and gritted their method to assist the Grizzlies keep neck-and-neck with the Thunder. Edey picked up his third and fourth fouls – with the latter seeing the rookie swinging Chet Holmgren to the hardwood. Aldama’s fourth three put Memphis up two. Harteinstein’s lumbering lay-up and Gilgeous-Alexander’s freebies gave OKC a slight cushion heading into the break.
On consecutive possessions, the groups had been whistled for unlawful picks to begin a really bodily third quarter. A Gilgeous-Alexander and-1 put OKC up six. An identical sequence of offensive fouls broke out a minute later. Gilgeous-Alexander resumed his common season scoring tempo on quite a lot of productive drives. Memphis ran quite a lot of ever-changing line-ups out to get some traction in opposition to the heavily-favored Thunder, nevertheless it was nonetheless OKC that led after three.
