May 3, NBA Play-offs Round-up: Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder win - Part 2
Oklahoma City Thunder 111 – Memphis Grizzlies 102
After a dominating performance from the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1, the Oklahoma City Thunder rattled them in Game 2 and tied the series 1-1.
Guard James Harden led the Thunder off the bench, as they defeated the Grizzlies 111-102 in the Western Conference semi-finals on Tuesday night at Oklahoma City Arena. With this victory Oklahoma jumped back in style and avoided a perilous 0-2 hole in the
best of the seven game series.
Harden scored 21 points along with three boards, five assists, three steals and blocked one shot. Kevin Durant made a game high 26 points and clutched five rebounds for the Thunder.
Grizzlies’ coach Lionel Hollins commented on Oklahoma and said, "It was a classic desperate team, more aggressive team. I say the desperate team usually wins, and they were the desperate team in their play, which was a sense of urgency and aggressiveness.
They came out and attacked."
Though, the Grizzlies nabbed the lead with some early possessions, which pushed the score to 4-0 straight away. However, they failed to capitalise on it and blew the lead away as the Thunder rattled them with an 18-6 run and guided Memphis in the rest of
the period. Harden scored eight points for the Thunder during the period.
The Grizzlies went into the second quarter with a double-digit deficit, they used a 16-8 run that slashed the shortfall to just three. At that time, Durant and Russell Westbrook rallied and restored Oklahoma’s lead again with a 10-4 run. Before, they led
the Grizzlies 54-44 into the break.
After the break, the Thunder carried on with the same momentum, which they displayed in the first half. They went on to extend the lead to 13 points with Durant’s 18-footer, 4:18 minutes before the third and glided through the quarter. At the close of the
period the Thunder finished with a 76-68 lead going into the final 12 minutes.
Both teams counted 30 odd points in the fourth quarter and it remained the highest-scoring period of the game. The Thunder led the Grizzlies for most part of the fourth quarter and extended their lead up to 21 with 6:21 to go in the game. That lead proved
too high a mountain for Memphis to climb, even with a 22-7 surge.
The Grizzlies managed to close within six with their last surge, but the Thunder did not give them a second chance and quashed all their hopes with a brilliant foul play in the final 45 seconds. Oklahoma ended up winning the game by nine points.
Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with his 24 points and eight assists. Conley hit two three-pointers and converted a three-point play as Memphis’ last surge got them within 104-98.
Zach Randolph, who made his play-off career high 34 points in Game 1 and remained the dominant player of the game, hit just two of his 13 shots and counted 15 points along with nine boards. While his team-mate Marc Gasol was three for nine, scored 13 points
and clutched 10 rebounds.
Together Randolph and Gasol made just five of their 22 shots for 28 points. Next up the two teams will meet for Game 3 on Saturday night in Memphis.
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