While the Thunder were disappointed to drop Saturday’s game against San Antonio – Oklahoma City’s first loss in more than five weeks – they were more focused on areas to improve afterward rather than hanging their heads, writes ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
“Personally I think it’s exciting“, superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s easier to learn when you don’t feel what you want to feel. It stings a little more.
“We’ll also see these guys (twice in the next five) games. So it will be a good challenge. A bit like an automatic test, almost like at school. If you fail the test, you can retake the test a few days later. This is probably how you will feel. Losing is where you find growth and truly improve.”
Oklahoma City had its preferred starting lineup available Saturday for the first time since the team won the championship in June, MacMahon noted. The Thunder led by 16 points at the end of the second quarter, but the Spurs rallied before halftime and ended up winning by two points.
Gilgeous-Alexander took responsibility for his role in the team’s “stagnant” offense – he finished with a season-high 29 points, but also committed a season-high five turnovers.
“We can’t be spoiled“Gilgeous-Alexander said, according to MacMahon.”We cannot think that we are above everything. We, like every team in the league, if you show up one night and don’t do what’s necessary to win, you probably won’t win, no matter how talented you are or no matter what track record you have. This was our case this evening.”
Learn more about the reigning champions:
- The Thunder went 68-14 last season and won the NBA championship. However, they fell in the finals of last year’s NBA Cup and were eliminated in the semifinals on Saturday. Star forward Jalen Williamswho finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals but shot just 5 of 17 from the field, admitted the team was hoping to add to its trophy case, relays Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “Yeah, it’s frustrating” Williams said.There’s a perspective on it, that’s for sure. I think an average team would probably say, “Oh, it’s the Cup, whatever, we lost one.” » What are we, 24 hours a day? I mean, we can go home and hang our hat on that, or we can look at this as a way to get better and understand that we played against a team in the playoffs that beat us and gave us a two on our (losing record). So that’s how we’re going to look at it from a competitive point of view.”
- Entering Saturday’s game, the Thunder were tied with the 2015/16 Warriors for the best 25-game start in NBA history. Golden State then broke Chicago’s regular season winning mark by compiling a 73-9 record, but fell in the 2016 NBA Finals against Cleveland. As MacMahon writes for ESPN.comGilgeous-Alexander said Friday that it would “absolutely” be significant if the Thunder were able to break the Warriors’ record, but he also cautioned that the team was more focused on repeating their championship title and continuing to improve every day.
- The reigning MVP was asked again about the winning record after Saturday’s loss, according to Vardon. “Seventy-three and nine? I mean, in the position we’re in right now, what are we, 24-2? My goal is to improve” Gilgeous-Alexander said.So if we improve from where we are now, that should take care of itself. That’s kind of how I see it. For me, there is no point in trying to achieve goals when they are so far away. You have to take everything step by step, and tonight we didn’t do that. If we pile up the nights like we did tonight, we won’t even make it.”
- Veteran Guard Alex Caruso was one of the Thunder’s strong points in Saturday’s loss, observes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required). On a night in which the offense wasn’t firing on all cylinders, Caruso did his best to lead the team to victory in critical moments, Martinez wrote, recording seven points, three rebounds and two steals in eight minutes in the fourth quarter. The two-time champion finished with 11 points (on 5-of-9 shooting), eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, as the Thunder outscored the Spurs by 22 points in 24 minutes.
- Williams was recently asked about his 2024 lottery pick Topic Nikolawho is currently being processed for testicular cancer. The Serbian goalie missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL before being diagnosed with cancer this fall. “He doesn’t come and say, “This sucks.” He goes out there, practices, shoots and tries to get better, which is crazy to me. … He was very firm in the face of the situation. He doesn’t feel sorry for himself” Williams said of the subject (Twitter link via Martinez).
