After a grueling week, the Thunder faced the Heat and emerged victorious thanks to a collective effort and an outstanding performance from Jalen Williams. Oklahoma City heads back from Florida with a solid 2-0 finish in just two days.
For those who love the numbers, check out the game stats here
Heat Lose Jimmy Butler Early in the Game
The Miami Heat were hoping to capitalize on their fresh legs to take the Thunder by surprise, but things took a turn when one of their star players went down just minutes into the game. On a turnover, Jimmy Butler twisted his ankle and had to head straight to the locker room, never to return. The official word? He was just feeling… under the weather. Make of that what you will.
Here’s the Lu Dort steal followed by Jimmy Butler walking off gingerly. He went into the locker room following this play. @MetaQuestVR @XtadiumVR pic.twitter.com/vSZapc4KMc
— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) December 21, 2024
Jalen Williams Steps Up in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Absence
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a peculiar game, showcasing two very different faces. The Canadian star delivered a sizzling start with 10 points in the first quarter and sparked a Thunder surge with 13 consecutive points in the third. However, he also had moments of struggle with poorly chosen shots.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets the TOUGH bucket AND the foul 😤
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 21, 2024
Not a problem for OKC, who leaned on warriors like Isaiah Hartenstein (13 points, 18 rebounds!) to dominate the paint, and the relentless Lu Dort on defense. But the real star of the evening was Jalen Williams. J-Dub stepped up big time, serving as the perfect partner to fill the gaps left by SGA’s wild ride. As expected, Williams turned on “mister clutch” mode in the fourth quarter, racking up 13 of his career-high 33 points during the money time. Whether in scoring or assists, he was all over the court in the final stretch, hitting a corner three that seemed to ice the game against Tyler Herro and his crew. It was a true All-Star-worthy performance from a player eyeing his first selection this season.
Closed out the road trip together and with a dub 🤝 pic.twitter.com/XLn1JOpmBz
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 21, 2024