The Oklahoma City Thunder trailed the Houston Rockets by 15 points halfway through the third quarter. It looked like a dire situation for a team desperate to avoid going down in the series 3-1.
The Thunder slowly started cutting into the lead, making it a single-digit deficit with 2:38 to go in the third quarter. They were driving, but the game still leaned in the Rockets’ favor.
Then Oklahoma City and guards Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder picked up the pace. With about 30 seconds to go, Paul grabbed a long rebound off a James Harden miss and pushed it ahead to Schroder, who then made an alley-oop pass to Nerlens Noel to cut the lead to four.
Then with four seconds left, Paul got another long rebound. He rushed up the court and passed it to Schroder with a second to go, who released it just in time.
🚨 Close game alert 🚨
Dennis beats the buzzer to bring the Thunder to within 1 heading into Q4. Watch NOW on @FOXSportsOK pic.twitter.com/YVMbEsbFaB
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) August 24, 2020
Money from deep.
Oklahoma City, on the verge of losing control, went on a 19-5 run to close the quarter and make it a game — and a series — again.
The score was 93-92 at the end of the third quarter.
Schroder had 21 points, a team-high, at the end of the third quarter.
