NBA charged Thunder’s star Chet Holmgren $45k for breaking the rules during the game… See more
Battling through offensive sluggishness and a 14-point deficit, the Oklahoma City Thunder were on the verge of an early grave to their stellar 2023-24 campaign.
For most of the contest, the offensive woes limited the Thunder, and it felt inevitable they would face a near-insurmountable 3-1 deficit to the Dallas Mavericks.
Instead, what happened was one of the biggest moments of this young core’s tenure. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams took over the fourth quarter and outdueled Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to steal a road game.
The Thunder’s 100-96 Game 4 win over the Mavericks evened the series at two apiece. It is guaranteed to go at least six games — and likely seven considering how close the last three games have been.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams took over with elite shot-making buckets in the final frame.
The MVP finalist scored eight straight points for OKC at one point and sealed it at the end at the free-throw line. Williams shook off a rough start and scored seven points in the final frame to help co-lead the Thunder to the comeback win.
Others stepped up in the fourth quarter. Including Chet Holmgren, whose corner 3-pointer gave the Thunder their first lead since the first quarter. The outside shot gave OKC an 89-86 edge it wouldn’t relinquish in the final 3:24 of the contest.
The 7-foot rookie calmly nailed a pair of free throws after being intentionally fouled to give the Thunder a 98-95 lead with nine seconds left.
