The Thunder are closer to a title than they've ever been before. In what might soon be recognized as a career-defining closing stretch by Shai (35 pts, 3 rbs, 0 ast, 4 stk), Shai delivered 15 mega clutch points to close the fourth quarter and steal a desperation win on the road. JDub (27 pts, 7 rbs), Chet (14 & 15), and Alex Caruso (20 pts, 5 stl, 1 blk) bounced back enough to buttress OKC's dead cold sharing (11 team assists, 13 turnovers) and shooting (3-16 3FGA) night, keeping the game close enough for the SGA-fueled comeback that turned a 10-point deficit late in the third into a 7-point win with the season on the line.
We've come a long way since watching other, lesser teams play for a full week while the Thunder juggernaut rested as the 1 seed. And then, watching other, lesser teams play for a full week while the Thunder juggernaut rested after sweeping the Grizzlies in the first round. The battle for the 2025 championship is close. Regardless of how much better OKC was this season, Indy is firmly in the series and could plausibly win it. But the Thunder have regained home court advantage, finding a way to win a brutal Game 4.
Next up: two days of rest before the Thunder play the most important franchise game, again, at home on Monday.