Observe: NBA Playoffs - Thunder Achieve History's Second-Biggest Halftime Recovery
On Thursday night, the Thunder took off for Game 3 against the Grizzlies on the road. But things looked grim for OKC, as they stumbled early in the game and found themselves trailing 77-51 at the half.
However, the #1 seed in the West from the regular season wasn't ready to go down without a fight. The Thunder displayed a fierce team effort in the second half, turning things around in a major way. Oklahoma City clinched a historic win, defeating the Grizzlies 114-108 and making NBA playoff history. With a 3-0 series lead, the Thunder are in a strong position to take the first-round matchup.
Thunder Roars Back from a Massive Deficit in Game 3
As the second quarter wound down, Memphis' Ja Morant went up for a layup, but was clipped by the Thunder's Lu Dort. Morant took a hard foul and exited the game with a hip injury. At that point, Memphis has built a formidable 29-point lead and was ahead by 26 at halftime.
But as they say, all hope is not lost. That's when power forward Chet Holmgren stepped up to the plate. Holmgren poured in 23 of his 24 points in the second half of Game 3, shooting 8-16 from the field and an impressive 5-10 from beyond the arc. He also added eight rebounds in 32 minutes on the court. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also put on a show, scoring a series-high 31 points.
Despite a subpar defensive effort in the first half, in which Memphis scored 71 points and connected on 50% of their three-point attempts, the Thunder found their footing in the second half. They held the Grizzlies to just 37 points and shut down their three-point shooting, allowing only 33%. It came down to the wire in the closing minutes of Game 3 for the Thunder to edge out a win. Defensive stalwart Alex Caruso played a key role in the fourth quarter, securing the Thunder's 3-0 lead in the series. Game 4 is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST.
Sources:
- ESPN.com
- SI.com
- NBA.com
- CBS Sports
- USA Today Sports
NOTE: The exact halftime deficit faced by the Thunder is disputed, with different reports suggesting slightly different numbers, but the overall comeback remains one of the largest in NBA playoff history.
- Despite a significant 26-point deficit at halftime, the Oklahoma City Thunder turned the tide in Game 3 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
- Power forward Chet Holmgren, who scored 23 of his 24 points in the second half, was instrumental in the Thunder's incredible comeback.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also contributed significantly, scoring a series-high 31 points.
- In the second half, the Thunder managed to hold the Grizzlies to just 37 points and restricted their three-point shooting to 33%.
- Defensive stalwart Alex Caruso played a crucial role in the fourth quarter, securing the Thunder's 3-0 lead in the series.
- With this historic win, the Oklahoma City Thunder have placed themselves in a strong position to take the first-round matchup in the NBA playoffs.
