OKC flips the switch in the third and buries Chicago 131-113

The Bulls come in swinging and actually own the early rhythm, but once Oklahoma City finds its pace in the third quarter, this one tilts hard and never really comes back. Chicago leads by as many as nine and takes a 67-62 edge into the break, but the Thunder answer with a blistering 24-point run that turns an 80-88 deficit into a 102-88 lead. From that point on, the game is less a fight than a showcase.

Chicago’s first-half offense has enough bite to keep things interesting. The Bulls get efficient scoring from Collin Sexton, who knocks down five threes on his way to 22 points, and Isaac Okoro gives them a valuable 20-point night without a single assist needed to fuel it. Tre Jones also keeps the Bulls organized with 21 points and nine assists, and the visitors continue to trade punches in a game that features 15 lead changes. But for all the back-and-forth early, Oklahoma City keeps the margin manageable and waits for the opening.

That opening arrives midway through the third. The key sequence starts when J. Williams finishes a driving layup in the middle of the Thunder’s 24-0 surge from the period, and suddenly the building changes. Earlier in the second, Williams had already sparked an 8-0 home run with a running layup as OKC briefly flipped a 31-35 deficit into a 38-37 lead. This time, the push is far more devastating. The Thunder go from trailing 80-88 to leading 102-88, and Chicago never gets close enough again to make it uncomfortable.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is his usual steady self, scoring 25 points in just 29 minutes while controlling the tone of the offense. But this is really a deep Oklahoma City performance. Cason Wallace scores 21 and buries five threes. The same goes for a number of other rotation pieces stepping into space and punishing Chicago’s rotations. Josh Giddey quietly stacks 11 assists, Jaylin Williams gives the Thunder a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double in just 19 minutes, and Isaiah Hartenstein muscles down 16 boards to keep the second chances and possessions flowing OKC’s way.

The fourth quarter is about closing the door, not reopening it. At 4:41, A. Mitchell swats a shot for his second block, and 11 seconds later J. Williams cuts for a layup off Mitchell’s fifth assist to push the lead to 124-102. A. Wiggins keeps attacking downhill, first on a driving layup at 3:52 and later with a floating jumper at 1:48. Even as Chicago scraps for late baskets — including a driving finger roll from R. Dillingham and a floating jumper from L. Olbrich — the Thunder keep answering with clean looks, rim pressure, and control of the glass.

The final number says it plainly: Oklahoma City won this with depth, pace, and a third-quarter avalanche. The Thunder improve their position with another convincing win, and the way they buried a team that had them on the ropes for stretches should matter in the broader playoff picture. For Chicago, the encouraging first-half resistance disappears once the game turns physical and the shot-making dries up. For OKC, this is exactly what a contender looks like when the stars are efficient and the supporting cast keeps the machine humming.