The Oklahoma City Thunder secured their spot in the postseason with a thrilling 113-112 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. With an impressive 52-22 record, the Thunder's win ensures their place in the playoffs.
The game was tightly contested from start to finish, remaining on edge until the very last second. Trailing by one point (112-111) with just 4.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault called a timeout to strategize a game-winning play.
Daigneault decided to involve Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), who had a challenging night, missing nine of his 16 field goal attempts. SGA’s efforts were closely guarded by Miles McBride, who has been a standout defender this season, particularly in protecting perimeter players.
Jalen Williams was on fire, shooting 14-for-18 from the field and racking up a game-high 33 points. Williams attempted to create space for SGA by setting a screen, but McBride was relentless, tracking SGA down to the left baseline.
In a high-stakes finale, SGA managed to overcome his earlier struggles, successfully scoring the decisive basket as time expired, clinching the victory for the Thunder and sending their fans into a frenzy.
Reference(s):
NBA highlights on March 31: Thunder, Nuggets book playoff spots
cgtn.com
