On Saturday, 48 minutes wasn’t enough for the Rockets and Thunder to settle their differences, so the two had to settle their differences in overtime.
In the end, the Thunder were able to pull away, winning Game 3 by a final score of 119-107. They almost didn’t get the opportunity, though.
After the teams engaged in a back-and-forth battle over the entire duration of the contest, Houston got some clutch baskets from P.J. Tucker and Jeff Green and opened up a five-point cushion in the game’s final two minutes. After Dennis Schroder and Tucker exchanged three-point shots, the Rockets committed critical turnovers in the game’s final minute and the Thunder were able to capitalize.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander connected on a three-point on an assist from Chris Paul after Steven Adams helped to force a turnover on what would be his final play of the game, and after a missed free throw from Danuel Hour, Jr. and a miss at the buzzer by Chris Paul, the teams were forced into overtime.
In the extra session, Oklahoma City was able to pull away after James Harden was whistled for his sixth and final foul with 4:07 remaining in the contest. Behind some clutch shooting from Paul, the Thunder used a 12-0 run to effectively put the game away.
As a result, instead of desperately attempting to stave off elimination in Monday’s Game 4, the Thunder will carry a 2-1 deficit into the contest and have the opportunity to knot the series up at two games apiece.
