close
close

Yiamastaverna

Trusted News & Timely Insights

    • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder roars past the Hawks in their home opener
    Alabama

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder roars past the Hawks in their home opener

    Idris Bevan Posted on

    The MVP chants that have become mandatory for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once inside state lines were anything but disingenuous, even three games into the season.

    They weren’t just the product of a fan base excited to see their franchise star back in the building. The Paycom Center sang the phrase like a nickname Sunday night, especially because Gilgeous-Alexander looked more worthy of the award than he has all season.

    As the Thunder played their third game in four nights, Gilgeous-Alexander mustered the energy for a monster fourth quarter, securing a 128-104 victory over the Hawks in the team’s home opener.

    OKC’s defense has allowed him to find his rhythm later in games. This includes Gilgeous-Alexander.

    As he experiments with the new volume, SGA’s version of efficiency may look different than it did a season ago. He shoots threes that he didn’t make back then and shoots more boldly. Anything to go from the great to the impossible — part of the long game, noted coach Mark Daigneault.

    “It’s annoying,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Of course you want to take every shot, but that’s part of the process. Success is not linear, as you have probably heard many times. I know there will be ups and downs. I also know how hard I work.”

    Sophomore Chet Holmgren then stole the floor like Kanye West at the 2009 MTV Music Awards.

    “We just went through a whole training camp and he didn’t miss those shots,” Holmgren added. “That’s why I trust they will start to decline.”

    And in Gilgeous Alexander style, those shots came when needed.

    With just over four minutes left to play and the Thunder aiming to put Atlanta out of reach, Gilgeous-Alexander assessed the pesky Dyson Daniels, who had often been in the All-NBA guard’s pocket on Sunday.

    With an Alex Caruso canvas, Gilgeous-Alexander gained the freedom to make a shot that hadn’t necessarily served him well up until that point. He was 2-for-7 from distance then, and less than 24 hours earlier he was 2-for-9 from distance in Chicago.

    And with one dribble, SGA soared and returned to the shot he had dedicated an entire summer to. A shot that Holmgren knows can work. A shot that Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down to take the wind out of Atlanta.

    “It felt good,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I had a few shots at the start of the game that I thought would go in, but they didn’t. … I feel like I would have been put off recording before because of the outcome. I try to look past it and play through it.”

    On Sunday, SGA shot 11 for 24 en route to 35 points, added 11 boards, nine assists, three steals, three blocks and made 10 of its 11 free throw attempts. Some things don’t change.

    Gilgeous-Alexander was a permanent candidate for Clutch Player of the Year in the fourth quarter if the games stayed close enough. OKC outscored Atlanta 39-18 during that period, and it was the series of SGA plays that sparked the decisive run.

    He exercised a necessary middy. He chased long rebounds. He swung the ball and made smart reads. He found his way to the free throw line and with quick bursts down the floor. He had inevitable distractions.

    He scored 13 points and two assists in eight minutes of the fourth quarter, leading an incredibly small but difficult lineup that decided the game.

    Gilgeous-Alexander delivered an outstanding performance for his standards. In return, Paycom Center told him the three-letter acronym that is gradually replacing his name.

    More: OKC Thunder Predictions: Can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Co. Win the NBA Title in 2024-25?

    Count on Cason

    On behalf of fluidity, coach Mark Daigneault fielded an all-guard lineup at the start of the fourth period.

    That group also included sophomore Cason Wallace, who made his name in a game against Atlanta about a season ago. Sunday was just a memory.

    When Atlanta star Trae Young hoped to initiate the offense in the fourth quarter, Wallace appeared to be made of rubber. When Young tried to ride, he bounced off Wallace’s improved frame like a Goodyear tire.

    Young goes for the elbow? Well, he’ll have to settle for a date with Wallace’s elbow. Does Young want a splash of color? Wallace already has his location.

    Nine minutes into the fourth quarter, Young was 0-for-3 from the field with three turnovers – all Wallace needed to help OKC go on a wild run.

    “It’s a lot of fun,” Wallace said, “to be a competitor at one of the highest levels. I pride myself on not wanting to score, especially in an iso situation.”

    Wallace, who started fourth, was joined by Gilgeous-Alexander, Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell and Lu Dort. This group was the catalyst, the up-and-down, irritating thorn in Atlanta’s side that increased the score at lightning speed.

    Two weeks into his rookie season, Wallace faced the same challenge of defending Young late. He’d made a name for himself back then, only to see Young “get him,” as Daigneault noted when they met in January.

    After a year of trusting Wallace to hold his ground against some of the league’s best perimeter players, things came full circle on Sunday.

    “Big leap,” Wallace said of the time that has passed. “A lot more confidence, more familiarity with their style of play. I can see what’s coming now.”

    Stock exchange open

    Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren bolstered their All-Star campaigns early. Putting up eye-popping numbers by dominating games and helping the Thunder remain one of the four undefeated teams in the league on Sunday night.

    Her stats were high. Just as notable as everything they contribute to the box score, especially as a duo, are their steals and blocks.

    Gilgeous-Alexander, with his spider-senses and incognito thefts, and Holmgren, with his absurd range and forceful denials.

    On Sunday, Holmgren’s ridiculous early-season performance continued, adding six blocks to his 25-point, nine-rebound performance.

    SGA had three steals and three blocks.

    The 7-foot player continues to amaze, knocking down shots within a split second of turning his back on a game. Gilgeous-Alexander continues his journey as perhaps the most active guard defender among his players.

    For two stars so important to OKC’s offense — most notably Gilgeous-Alexander, an offensive engine with few rivals — the two get their hands as dirty as virtually any blockbuster name in the league.

    More: Chet Holmgren and OKC Thunder roll past the Bulls in Alex Caruso’s return to Chicago

    Thunder vs Spurs

    TIP: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Paycom Center (ESPN)

    Tagged:

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Idris Bevan
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like

    ads