MIAMI, Fla. -- It was the fourth quarter of the third game in four nights, and Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams was maybe as active as he'd been all night.
He started the period coming off screens, bouncing step to step without struggle into shots. He looked nothing like he had one night earlier, a season-low for him. The touch was there and so was his confidence.
And on the other side, he reached for Miami guard Terry Rozier's pockets like he owed him something. Reach. Swipe. Pick. A relentless effort in a 104-97 Thunder win, yet emblematic of the night -- and of a team that's won improbable games throughout the season.
Veteran Alex Caruso chased Duncan Robinson through screens. He chased Tyler Herro from behind.
Lu Dort forced traveling violations and traveled from wing to wing to limit Miami's guards.
OKC's offense, especially without Chet Holmgren has been questioned. About its efficiency, its standards, about whether this is what a team that could rival how the Boston Celtics should look like.
But this season has been about winning games defensively. The Thunder has created normalcy in forcing gaudy turnover numbers. A near-20 turnover game produces shrugs.
So Williams' 32 points on 12-of-25 shooting mattered. No question. But it was his effort, uncommon for a young player who'd laid an egg less than 24 hours earlier, that pushed OKC over the top.
It was only natural that the play that sealed Friday's win, a two-possession game with 27.8 seconds to play, was an unfathomable offensive rebound from Caruso.
Can we really be all that surprised by now?
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Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler left the game after a collision with OKC's Lu Dort, walking off gingerly. Later, the Heat updated Butler's status to out due to an illness.
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*-two-way contract
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder's Jalen Williams leads way to road win over Miami Heat