Latest news with #BenSimmons
Skift
3 days ago
- Business
- Skift
4 Ways Airlines Can Win With Real-Time Retailing
Legacy pricing systems are holding airlines back from delivering the level of personalization, revenue optimization, and cross-channel consistency that modern travelers expect. IBS Software's forward-looking approach offers a clear path to higher revenue and improved traveler experiences. This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner. In a world where e-commerce platforms can instantly tailor pricing and promotions to every shopper, it seems almost unthinkable that many airlines still operate with pricing systems built in the 1970s. Today's travelers expect the same level of speed, personalization, and seamlessness they experience with top e-commerce platforms — and airlines that can't deliver risk falling behind. This disconnect is even more striking given that ancillary revenue hit a record $118 billion in 2023, according to Skift Research, highlighting how crucial it has become for airlines to dynamically price and personalize offers in real time. Yet many still rely on outdated technology that limits both revenue potential and customer engagement. Why Legacy Systems Hold Airlines Back 'The problem with older systems is that they're bulky and slow,' said Ben Simmons, VP and regional head of Europe and Africa at IBS Software. 'They weren't built for the speed and flexibility today's market demands. Our real-time pricing tools, powered by AI, are leaner, more responsive, and more cost-effective. They help airlines respond instantly to demand and deliver smarter offers to their customers.' A new video from IBS Software illustrates what this next generation of airline retailing could look like — faster, more personalized, and better connected across channels. That vision is at the core of IBS Software's new airline retailing manifesto. SkiftX sat down with Simmons to explore its four guiding principles, developed to help airlines move beyond legacy systems and adopt a more dynamic, customer-centric approach. 1. Real-Time Pricing Unlocks Revenue Potential Traditional airline pricing models are slow and inflexible, making it difficult for carriers to respond quickly to shifts in demand or competitive pressures. Although the Airline Tariff Publishing Company (ATPCO) updates fares several times a day, this cadence still falls short of the speed and adaptability seen in industries like e-commerce. By contrast, AI-driven, real-time pricing empowers airlines to optimize revenue by instantly adjusting fares in response to traveler behavior and changing market conditions. According to Simmons, this evolution isn't just about updating prices faster — it's about rethinking what's being sold altogether: 'You're not just pushing a seat anymore. You're offering a seat, a meal, a premium experience — priced dynamically based on real demand.' In this model, airline sales become full-service retailing opportunities, where the focus shifts from simply selling tickets to curating and monetizing the entire traveler experience. IBS Software's approach leverages dynamic pricing to enable limitless price points, tailored in real time to each customer's journey. Airlines no longer need to rely on opening and closing fare classes — instead, they can intelligently price products at the moment of decision, aligning perfectly with fluctuating demand. But optimizing revenue is just one side of the equation. Delivering the right offer to the right traveler at the right time requires real-time personalization. 2. Personalization Must Be Instant, Not Predefined Sending the same 'exclusive' offer to every traveler falls short of true personalization. AI-driven retailing changes the game by enabling airlines to create real-time, customized offers based on individual factors like customer intent, loyalty status, and purchase history. This capability is critical as airlines shift from broad, one-size-fits-all promotions to targeted, dynamically bundled fares and ancillaries. 'For example, a mother flying with her infant might see very different bundles than a solo business traveler booking just two days before departure,' Simmons said. 'This is real-time personalization in action, as shown in our retailing video — smart technology that helps airlines deliver more relevant, timely offers to every customer.' These micro-moments of relevance allow airlines to evolve from reactive selling to proactive engagement — boosting loyalty, increasing conversion rates, and enhancing the overall passenger experience. With AI, every touchpoint becomes an opportunity to reflect the traveler's immediate needs and intent. But to maximize the value of tailored offers, airlines must go a step further — ensuring that what's offered is not only personalized but also available and packaged in ways that meet real-time demand. 3. Real-Time Stock and Bundling Prevents Revenue Loss While seat inventory is often managed dynamically, many ancillaries — such as baggage fees, premium seating, and upgrades — are still governed by outdated, manual systems. This disconnect limits revenue potential. However, airlines adopting modern pricing strategies through NDC (New Distribution Capability) can unlock significant gains. According to Skift Research, this approach can generate an additional $5.30 per passenger — translating to approximately $500 million in extra revenue for Lufthansa and $1 billion for American Airlines. 'In the traditional world, dynamic pricing of ancillaries is virtually non-existent,' Simmons noted. 'We use AI to analyze past behavior and compute the right prices and bundles in real time. One of our airline customers saw a 20 to 25% revenue increase just from dynamically pricing their seat maps.' By combining real-time inventory with dynamic bundling, airlines can move beyond selling individual products and start offering complete travel experiences. This approach not only reduces revenue leakage from mispriced or unavailable ancillaries but also opens the door to new retail categories — from in-flight upgrades to third-party partnerships. Still, even the most well-designed bundles and pricing models can fall short if travelers encounter inconsistent experiences across booking channels. 4. Omnichannel Consistency Builds Competitive Advantage Today's travelers expect seamless and consistent experiences, no matter where they book. But as airlines adopt dynamic pricing through modern API-driven channels, GDS systems that rely on legacy pricing models can struggle to keep up — leading to pricing and content discrepancies. These gaps, often rooted in uneven adoption of NDC standards, result in missed sales opportunities and customer frustration. By adopting real-time, omnichannel retailing strategies, airlines can align pricing and availability across all touchpoints while reducing reliance on costly third-party distribution. Lufthansa, for example, cut its distribution costs from €524 million in 2018 to €302 million in 2022, according to Skift Research. 'Direct channels give airlines better insight into their customers, which makes personalization more effective,' Simmons said. 'That's why having a modern, flexible system matters. It helps airlines deliver the right offers, in the right moment, to drive more value from every interaction.' IBS Software's platform supports this approach by acting as a single source of truth for offers. It ensures consistency in what travelers see while enabling airlines to tailor strategies by channel — strengthening brand trust and unlocking more intelligent, channel-specific pricing and merchandising. The Future of Airline Retailing Is Now While much of the industry is still evaluating what the future of retailing could look like, IBS Software is already making it a reality with a fully integrated, real-time retailing platform. With the IATA Annual General Meeting on the horizon in early June, there's no better moment for airlines to reimagine their retail strategies and take bold steps toward real-time, personalized commerce. 'Don't just observe. Take action,' Simmons said. 'When we show airline executives what's possible, like real-time ancillary sales across partner carriers, it literally blows them away. The old systems are overly complex, expensive, and full of friction. The new world is simply better for both airlines and travelers.' For more information about IBS Software's iRetail solution for airlines, click here. This content was created collaboratively by IBS Software and Skift's branded content studio, SkiftX.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ben Simmons Announces Offseason Move After Clippers' Loss to Nuggets
The Los Angeles Clippers were eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Dropping a hard-fought seven-game series to the Denver Nuggets, LA was unable to continue what was an impressive finish to the 2024-25 regular season. One of the midseason moves LA made to bolster its postseason push was the buyout market addition of former Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons. Acquired by Brooklyn in 2022 as part of the James Harden deal, Simmons spent three seasons with the Nets, but appeared in just 90 games. Advertisement Waived by Brooklyn in February, Simmons signed with the Clippers where he finished out the year. Los Angeles Clippers forward Ben Simmons (25).© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images In 18 games for LA, Simmons averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He fell out of Ty Lue's rotation during the playoffs, appearing in just five of the seven games, averaging 8.4 minutes per contest. Now an unrestricted free agent, Simmons will have the opportunity to choose his next team. As he mulls over that decision, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick announced he is heading home to Australia to enjoy some of his offseason. "Next stop," he posted on Instagram, adding Sydney, Australia as the location. LA Clippers guard Ben Simmons posts on / Instagram An Australian native, Simmons is one of 13 active NBA players born there (via Basketball Reference). Among Australian-born players, he ranks fifth in points, second in assists and third in rebounds. Advertisement For his career, Simmons has made three All-Star teams and two All-Defensive teams, but has been significantly limited by injuries in recent years. The 28-year-old will spend some time back home before deciding on his NBA future. Related: Clippers Predicted to Land Former Celtics Star After Ben Simmons News Related: NBA Legend Vince Carter Makes Major Personal Announcement
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Clippers Predicted to Land Former Celtics Star After Ben Simmons News
The Los Angeles Clippers, who many predicted would drop off a bit following Paul George's departure last offseason, finished the year as the No. 5 seed in the West and suffered just one more loss than they did last year. However, they ultimately got sent home in the first round by the Denver Nuggets in seven games. Following their early playoff exit, the Clippers may have some big decisions they need to make this offseason. This includes what their plans are for Ben Simmons, who signed with the team during the season after a buyout from the Brooklyn Nets. Advertisement Simmons, who appeared in 18 regular season games for the Clippers, will hit unrestricted free agency this summer. According to The Athletic's Law Murray, Simmons is not expected to remain in Los Angeles. "[Simmons] is a free agent. He eventually faded out of the rotation completely for the Clippers. I don't expect him to be back. If he comes back it'd be on a very low number ... You need someone who's a threat on both sides of the ball," Murray said on a recent podcast with Yossi Gozlan. Following the latest developments on Simmons, the Clippers are now predicted to land a former Boston Celtics guard who could be the former No. 1 overall pick's replacement. Ben Simmons guards Nikola Jokic on April 24.© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images While not the same player he was when he won the Rookie of the Year award in 2018, Simmons provides depth and versatility. If he leaves the Clippers, they will have to look for a replacement, and there is one specific player to monitor. Advertisement In the same podcast, Murray said that he considers Malcolm Brogdon "a primary target for the Clippers." "I would consider Brogdon a primary target for the Clippers," Murray said. "They almost traded (for him previously). I think if Brogdon would have been a buyout guy, I think the Clippers would have considered him along with Ben Simmons." Brogdon spent one season with the Celtics in 2022-23 and won the Sixth Man of the Year award. The Celtics initially traded him to the Clippers as part of the blockbuster trade that landed them Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards. However, following medical concerns, the Clippers backed out, and the Celtics ultimately sent Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies instead to complete the trade. The former Celtics guard spent last season with the Washington Wizards, though he only appeared in 24 games for the team and did not see the court after the All-Star break. Brogdon is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and as it stands, it seems likely he will be on his fifth team in as many years next season. Advertisement Related: Celtics Predicted to Land Ben Simmons After NBA Playoffs Related: NBA Lottery Team Predicted to Make Unexpected Decision Amid Cooper Flagg News
News.com.au
07-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Unthinkable': Ben Simmons arrives at $252m crossroads
It was an oversight that, once unthinkable, was completely understandable. Lost in the wash-up of the obituaries of the Los Angeles Clippers' 2025 playoff run after last weekend's Game 7 capitulation against Denver – and there were many of them – was discussion about the future of a player who has gone from number one draft pick and rookie of the year to being waived by one team and signed by another to become a free agent. But that's the lot of Ben Simmons, who didn't hit the court for the Clippers in the final two games of the Nuggets series after playing primarily as a spot-minute back-up centre assigned to three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic on the occasions where he made a brief cameo. Which begs the question: what now? Simmons' freefall from his 2017-18 rookie of the year accolades and three All-Star appearances in Philadelphia to his playoff flame-outs and subsequent trade to Brooklyn before being bought out by the Nets in February has been well documented, and benefits no repeating here. Signing with the title-aspiring Clippers once he cleared waivers in Brooklyn on February 10, the 28-year-old's contributions on a veteran team were modest, but appreciated. Now comes the hard part: working out where the Australian ends up next. In 18 games with the Clippers, Simmons averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in 16 minutes a night; in the playoffs, those contributions dwindled to 0.8 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists in eight minutes a night before he was benched as the series reached its crescendo. [1] Cleveland trails [4] Indiana 0-1 (Game 2 @ Cleveland 9am Weds May 7) [2] Boston trails [3] New York 0-1 (Game 2 @ Boston 9am Thurs May 8) WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS [1] Oklahoma City trails [4] Denver 0-1 (Game 2 @ OKC 11.30am Thurs May 8) [6] Minnesota v [7] Golden State (Game 1 @ Minnesota 11.30am Weds May 7) (All times AEST) His 2024-25 averages in 51 games between Brooklyn and LA – 5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists – pale into comparison to his career marks of 13.1ppg, 7.4rpg and 7.2apg in 383 games. Were it not for his promising past, Simmons would be seen as a perfectly acceptable fringe NBA rotation player who can be additive to a competing team despite his obvious offensive shortcomings. While he's a shadow of his former statistical self, there'll be a role somewhere for a player who turns 29 in July, and possesses the same imposing speed, defensive nous and passing ability that once marked him as a star. Those days look over, but is Simmons still an NBA player teams will covet, if only on their terms? An Australian basketball legend and prominent American former NBA front-office staffer say yes. Where can that be? There's a handful of teams who could benefit from what Simmons can offer. A CLIPPERS RETURN? Simmons was optimistic he could contribute to the Clippers' post-season push when he arrived in LA in February, right around the time the team began to take off. With star Kawhi Leonard ramping up after missing the first half of the season rehabilitating a knee injury, former league MVP James Harden assuming more responsibility after Paul George left for Philadelphia in free agency and the likes of promising centre Ivica Zubac and veteran guard Norman Powell enjoying career-best campaigns, Simmons felt he could make an impact, pending his ability to manage the back issues that had plagued a considerable part of his time in Brooklyn. 'I felt wanted, and that's something you want to feel when you go to work and you want to compete at a high level,' he said in his introductory press conference after rejecting overtures from Cleveland and Houston to sign in LA. 'I see the floor, I want to get my guys going, get them easy buckets, control the pace, and then on the defensive end, I want to be a dog. I want to be able to get stops and put that pressure on the ball.' Simmons made contributions as the Clippers rose steadily from the play-in bracket to the Western Conference's fifth seed, a road win over Golden State on the final day of the regular season locking in a match-up with Jokic and the Nuggets. It was a series where the Clippers could have considered themselves unfortunate to not win the first four games; a slew of late turnovers saw them cough up Game 1 on the road in Denver in overtime, while after demolishing the Nuggets in Game 3 by 34 points, they lost Game 4 on a miraculous buzzer-beating alley-oop dunk by Aaron Gordon, who sealed a two-point road victory when he caught Jokic's Hail Mary three-pointer at the buzzer. After the home teams held sway in Games 5 and 6, Denver ran out 120-101 winners to advance to a West semifinal meeting with Oklahoma City in a Game 7 that wasn't as close as the final margin, the Nuggets leading by as many as 35 points as Simmons didn't get off the bench for a second straight game. After an airball when being lightly defended by Jokic early in Game 5, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue pulled the plug on the Australian, turning to French veteran Nicolas Batum to play the non-Zubac minutes against Denver's star centre to better balance LA's offensive arsenal. Ben Simmons COOKED Nikola Jokic 🤯ðŸ'¥ — BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) April 30, 2025 With the Clippers one of the league's older teams – only Philadelphia and Phoenix have an older average age than LA's 27.4 years and only Derrick Jones and Zubac (both 28) are under 30 from the Clippers' core – LA faces an off-season of probable stability, with 12 players on the roster under contract and limited options on tap to add new pieces from the draft, the team holding no first-round picks and selecting 30th and 49th overall in June. Of LA's free agents, only Simmons, fellow Australian Patty Mills and reserve forward Amir Coffey don't have a player or team option. Speaking on Andrew Bogut's 'Rogue Bouges' podcast, former Dallas Mavericks director of player development and player trainer Mike Procopio – a frequent critic of the Australian in recent years – feels Simmons can be a contributor to the Clippers going forward despite his obvious warts. 'At times, I thought he was okay for them,' Procopio said. 'I think there is a spot for him … for that team as well, because they need it. They need guys who just know how to play, high basketball IQ, who can pass, have size and length. He does have a high basketball IQ … it's just, where's his competitive spirit? 'Does he have that left? Only he knows the answer to that, and he's been flatlining that the last few years, being a really competitive type of player. If he could put that together, put one good year together, I think he could get this thing back on track a little bit. 'Will he go back to what people thought he was? Absolutely not. Can he be a guy that could be a rotation player, maybe even move into a starting spot in a couple of years? Possibly. At 28 years old, there's still plenty of time left. 'I'm not going to break the bank to keep Ben Simmons, but if he wants a one [year] plus one [year option contract], where if he plays well he could opt out and then go somewhere else … I think the Clippers kicked the tyres since acquiring him, and I think it would be good to keep him and ramp him up a little bit. 'I do like his skill level, I just think he's a lack of a competitor.' WHERE ELSE MIGHT SIMMONS FIT? If not in LA, then where could Simmons be of value? It's a process of attraction by subtraction, and his willingness to accept a role in a franchise with winning as a priority. Simmons' stint in Brooklyn – which traded away key pieces throughout the 2024-25 season to bolster their draft lottery odds and stuttered to a 26-56 record after winning half of their first 20 games – suggests rebuilding teams who are prioritising younger talent aren't a great fit. Denver, who gave minutes to 36-year-old back-up centre DeAndre Jordan in the series against the Clippers, would be a good fit stylistically as a small-ball big who can facilitate. Defensively, Simmons would fit in with Orlando, which allowed a league-low 105.5 points per game this season and is ascending. Milwaukee, pending the fall-out from its first-round loss to Indiana, combined with Damian Lillard missing most of next season with an Achilles' tear and Giannis Antetokounmpo's future a topic of discussion, bears mentioning. Golden State – where Simmons has been linked in the past as a cut-price version of pass-first, shooting-averse playmaking forward Draymond Green – would be an interesting stylistic fit, despite Simmons' history with Warriors' mid-season acquisition Jimmy Butler when the pair were teammates with the 76ers. Wherever Simmons ends up, it won't be for a significant payday for a player who has career earnings of over US$163 million ($252M AUD), per NBA website Basketball Reference. Simmons signed for US$755,826 ($1.2M AUD) for the Clippers after his buyout from Brooklyn. The veteran minimum for players of seven years' experience like Simmons was US$2.8 million ($4.34M AUD) for the 2024-25 season. On his 'Rogue Bouges' podcast, Andrew Bogut feels the Simmons story can change if he can get over his free throw woes – he attempted just seven in 23 total games in LA compared to 5.4 per game in his 2018-19 Philadelphia heyday – which is something Bogut himself struggled with throughout his own NBA career. '[Defensively] he's long, he's athletic, and that's where he really caused a lot of problems in Philly,' Bogut said. 'On the offensive end is where everyone's waiting for that old Ben Simmons aggressiveness to come back, which all stems from the free throws in my opinion. As a guy who has been through the free throw yips at different times, it can affect your aggressiveness, and I see that in Ben. 'I see that limiting his aggressiveness so much so that he won't shoot that lay-up … if there's a [defensive] body nearby, he won't even attempt a lay-up because he doesn't want the chance of potentially being fouled and getting to the free throw line. That's something that an off-season sports psych [psychologist] … I don't know, but he's got to get that back. 'That, to me, is everything. That's the hardest thing. He's still a fantastic basketball player. I think he just needs to get that part [fixed]. With that, his spirit and everything will come back.'
News.com.au
27-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘One of the craziest things I've seen': Buzzer beater for the ages rocks NBA
Nikola Jokic put up a prayer. Aaron Gordon answered it. The Nuggets forward produced a clutch play for the ages as Denver outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers 101-99 in a NBA playoffs thriller on Sunday morning. The Nuggets looked on track for a comfortable win with a 20-point lead heading into the final quarter, but the Clippers rallied as Denver's starters, all of which played over 40 minutes, tired down the stretch. But Denver had one final chance to win and left it until literally the last millisecond as Aaron Gordon somehow found the energy to fly for the dunk on a Jokic 3-point attempt. It was a fitting end to the game as Gordon, who was involved in a heated moment with James Harden right before halftime, was booed on multiple occasions in the second half by the Clippers fans. Gordon’s putback is the craziest buzzer beater since Kawhi’s four bouncer — Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) April 27, 2025 That was one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. — Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 27, 2025 The Nuggets, who were blown out by 34 points in Game 3 and without key bench piece Russell Westbrook, bounced back off the back of a standout third quarter from Jokic. The Serbian superstar finished the game with 36 points, 21 rebounds and eight assists. Even in a loss, Australian Ben Simmons was once again a surprise shining light for the Clippers. Simmons had an underwhelming game if you went off the box score alone (2 points, 1 block, 1 turnover) but it didn't tell the full story of just how valuable he was in the first quarter. Clippers coach Ty Lue credited Simmons with 'changing the game' with his four-minute stint on Thursday and once again, the Australian was particularly effective on the defensive end. Out of the timeout, Simmons made an immediate impact matched up against Jokic, using his length to force the two-time MVP into a tough mid-range shot which came up short. Simmons then pounced after Harden forced a turnover from the Nuggets, scooping up the ball and dunking it home. The Australian later capped off an impactful first stint by navigating through a Jokic screen and reading a Jamal Murray pass, getting his hands to the ball and forcing it out of bounds. Ben Simmons has injected some IMMEDIATE life to the Clippers off the bench right now. — Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) April 26, 2025 Ben Simmons ball pressure has made a material difference. — Justin W. (@LAClippersFilm) April 26, 2025 Just watch Ben Simmons on this entire defensive possession No commentary needed — Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) April 26, 2025 Ben Simmons ability to Guard Jokic but also Hedge and recover on Ball screens is insanely valuable — MarzTalksSports (@MarzTalksSports) April 26, 2025 With just over three seconds on the clock, it was a smart play that gave the Nuggets little time to work with on the clock and Denver subsequently committed a shot clock violation. Despite that, a Clippers turnover undid all of Simmons' good work, gifting Denver one final possession and the Nuggets expertly executed the sideline-out-of-bounds play to set up a Jokic triple on the buzzer. That left the score at 27-22 in Denver's favour at the end of the first quarter after the Nuggets led by as many as nine points, capitalising on a shaky shooting start from the Clippers, who were uncharacteristically poor with their finishing at the rim early. Simmons got his first rest early in the second quarter after a stellar four minutes, which saw the three-time All-Star hustling to make multiple efforts on defence in a reminder of just how talented a defender he is and could have been without the injuries. Unfortunately for him and the Clippers, given how effective he had been, Simmons quickly racked up three fouls but given L.A. had been using him for around eight minutes in each game during the series it wasn't too much of an issue. As expected, Simmons didn't go back into the game before halftime as the Nuggets took a 50-48 lead into the third quarter. It was a solid result for the Clippers given neither Leonard (nine points) nor Harden (six points) had been at their best, with the L.A. bench (14) easily outscoring Denver (two). In keeping with the first three game of the series, Simmons was brought on as the Clippers' back-up big for the final four minutes of the third quarter with the Nuggets leading 67-60. Knowing Simmons already had three fouls, Jokic immediately got physical with him and drew another foul. Simmons' presence did little to help turn the game in the Clippers' favour this time around, with a Christian Braun triple opening up a 76-60 lead late in the third for the Nuggets. Denver took a 85-65 lead into the fourth quarter but Westbrook's absence and the lack of production from the bench meant interim coach David Adelman had to rely on the starters to get the job done. Instead, they grew visibly exhausted as the quarter wore on while the Clippers started to catch fire and rallied to reduce Denver's lead to 96-95 entering the final two minutes. The Clippers had 10 points off turnovers at that point, having outscored Denver 30-11 in the period, to put themselves one bucket away from taking their first lead of the game. Bogdan Bogdanovic hustled for the offensive rebound to score and do just that, but when his team needed him most Jokic produced a stunning double spin move to shoot over Ivica Zubac and put Denver ahead 99-97 with 16.1 seconds left. Zubac got one back on the next possession though as he tipped it in to tie up the game. But with eight seconds on the clock and a timeout in hand, Denver had a chance to escape with the win and it was the most incredible of escapes as Gordon flew for the winning dunk. SGA MAKES MVP STATEMENT AS JA-LESS GRIZZLIES COME UP SHORT Earlier, the Oklahoma City Thunder, fuelled by 38 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, held off the Memphis Grizzlies 117-115 to complete a 4-0 sweep in their NBA Western Conference playoff series and become the first team to reach the second round. Jalen Williams added 23 points for the Thunder, who were pushed to the wire by the desperate Grizzlies despite the absence of star Ja Morant, who was ruled out with a hip contusion suffered in game three. Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 30 points and Santi Aldama and Desmond Bane had 23 points each for the Grizzlies, who trailed by 12 with 3:37 to play but closed within two with 7.1 seconds remaining, only to come up short. After the first three games featured a total of four lead changes, the teams traded the lead 15 times in the first three quarters, the Thunder taking an 88-85 lead into the final period. The Grizzlies were within two with 9:14 to play, but Oklahoma City put together a 10-2 scoring run to take the first double-digit lead of the game and, without Morant, Memphis just didn't have enough to extend the best-of-seven series. HEAT HANDED WORST PLAYOFF DEFEAT IN FRANCHISE HISTORY Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers throttled Miami 124-87, handing the Heat the worst playoff defeat in franchise history to take a 3-0 stranglehold on their Eastern Conference first-round series. The top-seeded Cavs shook off the absence of All-Star guard Darius Garland and a relatively quiet 13-point game from Donovan Mitchell to reach the brink of a playoff sweep, the Heat unable to capitalise as the series shifted to Miami after they dropped the first two games in Cleveland. Jarrett Allen scored 22 points and D'Andre Hunter added 21 off the bench as six Cavs players scored in double figures. The Heat, well aware that no NBA team has rallied from 3-0 down to win a playoff series, got off to a fast start and led by nine midway through the first quarter. But the Cavs weathered the storm and were up by 13 by the end of the first quarter, their lead never dipping below double digits the rest of the way. 'We just came out with energy,' said newly named Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, who chipped in 19 points. 'We took the first punch and from there we just took the game over.' Ty Jerome scored 13 off the bench and handed out 11 assists -- a playoff record for a Cavaliers reserve. Bam Adebayo scored 22 points to lead the Heat, but the 37-point margin of defeat was the Heat's worst ever in the post-season. It surpassed a 36-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs in game three of the 2013 NBA Finals -- when the Heat went on to win the title. 'Clearly a very disappointing day,' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. The Cavs will have their first chance to close out the series on Tuesday.
