SGA assigns blame for Thunder’s 34 fewer shots than Heat in heartbreaking loss

After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 122-120 heartbreaking loss to the Miami Heat on the road, the reigning MVP explained what went wrong for the defending champions. The Heat outrebounded the Thunder 51-46, including 21 offensive rebounds that yielded 33 second-chance points, and erased a 12-point deficit.

After the loss, Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander called out his team for losing possessions in a game that came down to Alex Caruso’s three-point attempt with less than 3.0 seconds left in the game.

“I would say rebounding for this one,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, when asked what stands out most from the loss. “When you give the other team more possessions and more chances to score, NBA players are gonna score. We didn’t turn them over tonight. So, we didn’t get the possessions back in the turnover battle. Then, they got the possessions on the rebounding battle. So, it’s like a double-plus for them, and I think it turned the game. But that’s on us.

“Me, personally, I don’t think I had any rebounds. So, we gotta find ways to end possessions.”

The Heat’s additional 34 field-goal attempts marked only the third time that’s happened in the NBA since 2011, per OKC Thunder Stats’ X, formerly Twitter.

“There has only been a margin that big in the NBA twice in the past 18 seasons. BKN vs PHI in 2018, Golden State over OKC in 2011. In that GSW-OKC game, the Warriors had 20 offensive rebounds vs 2 for the Thunder.”

Andrew Wiggins’ go-ahead three with 31.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave the Heat the lead down the stretch. He finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Bam Adebayo’s 30-point double-double (12 rebounds) led six Heat players in double figures, including Norman Powell (19 points) and Pelle Larsson (16 points).

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 39 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Aaron Wiggins led the bench with 18 points, including four threes, and six rebounds, and Chet Holmgren added 14 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks.

Jalen Williams exits Thunder loss with injury

Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams suffered a hamstring injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s two-point loss to the Heat. He exited the game and never returned. Head coach Mark Daigneault provided an update on Williams’ injury during his postgame media availability.

Daigneault says the Thunder will examine Williams ahead of Monday’s matchup against the Cavs.

“We’ll see in the morning,” Daigneault said. “Then, we’ll check him out and see how he is tomorrow.”

Williams left the game with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting, a pair of threes, three rebounds, and three assists in 14 minutes.

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