The OKC Thunder are an excellent group and have much more to come back.
Amongst NBA contenders, the OKC Thunder are main the dialog within the Western Convention. They lately defeated the Indiana Pacers 120-114 on the street and are actually 24-5. They subsequent head to Charlotte to tackle the Hornets and look to proceed their nine-game successful streak.
However within the latest win, Thunder celebrity guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was nice once more. Regardless of a gradual begin to the competition, he has amassed an MVP resume, scoring 45 factors on 15-of-22 taking pictures from the ground. He additionally added seven rebounds and eight assists.
Gilgeous-Alexander is not the one factor that is nice for Oklahoma Metropolis. Your complete group has stepped up all season, even when Chet Holmgren went down with an harm.
The Thunder have constructed on an amazing roster from a season in the past. They gained 57 video games final yr and earned the No. 1 seed within the Western Convention. He later added Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso to the roster, including additional depth to the group.
Gilgeous-Alexander would not really feel just like the group even has a bench as a result of they’ve a lot expertise on the bench and the identification hasn’t modified in any respect with the rotation.
“To be sincere, I do not assume now we have a bench,” Gilgeous-Alexander defined. “I really feel like there are two lineups. If one lineup would not work, we transfer to a different lineup. That lineup solves the issue. We get again on monitor. We get the automobile again on the street.
“We expect regardless of who comes on, regardless of who we play, now we have 12 to 14 gamers each night time that may impression the sport and make a distinction. That is how we assault the sport. is.”
For many groups, this isn’t the case. It’s uncommon to discover a group that has a powerful bench whereas additionally having a giant three. Additionally, most groups do not have a bench to take care of their taking part in model and identification. Most groups need to “survive” bench time till their starters return, however that is not the case for the Thunder.
The Thunder have dominated the league the previous few seasons. After posting a 24-win season, they turned the nook as a franchise with back-to-back 40-win seasons. Gilgeous-Alexander completed fifth in MVP voting that season.
Final season, the Thunder gained 17 extra video games and completed because the No. 1 seed within the West with a 57-25 file. Conveniently, Gilgeous-Alexander completed second behind Nikola Jokic in MVP voting.
Oklahoma Metropolis is at the moment on tempo for over 60 wins, however they’re nonetheless not taking part in at their full potential. In doing so, Gilgeous-Alexander is as soon as once more averaging over 30 factors per sport with unimaginable effectivity.
With the ability to play in a well-recognized lineup with an amazing supporting solid and rotating gamers is actually helpful for the Canadian celebrity, however the Kentucky product has to place up MVP-level numbers, and he did simply that. . He’s the driving drive behind this nice Thunder group aiming for its first flag since arriving in Oklahoma Metropolis 16 years in the past.
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