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OKLAHOMA CITY — Although Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a team-high 27 points in Tuesday’s 118-99 blowout win against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 2 of their first-round series, it took him 29 attempts to get there. After Gilgeous-Alexander turned in a subpar 17 points on 4-of-13 attempts in Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander’s shooting woes continued Tuesday, but the Grizzlies never threatened Oklahoma City’s lead.
The Thunder kept the Grizzlies at bay throughout the night, taking a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal series. After the victory, Gilgeous-Alexander pointed to his team’s depth as the prime reason the Thunder dominated despite his poor shooting.
“I feel like I’m getting looks that I usually make, just missing them. That’s part of basketball: ups and downs. Makes and misses,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Now, because my team is really good. We’ve won two games by a decent margin, they’ve had my back these last two nights, and hopefully, I pick it up here soon.”
Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also had eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Jalen Williams added 24 points on 10-of-11 attempts, six rebounds, five assists, and one steal, and Chet Holmgren (20 points, 11 rebounds) notched his second double-double of the series.
“It’s nothing new. We’ve seen it all year. That’s why we have the record we do. That’s why we’re the team we are. Guys have been hurt, guys have been down, guys come back into the lineup, and no matter what, it seems like we don’t miss a beat,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That speaks to our depth in itself.”
Ja Morant’s shutdown proving Thunder’s Lu Dort egregious snub
Despite finishing the regular season with the third-best odds to win Defensive Player of the Year, Thunder lockdown defender Lu Dort was snubbed for the DPOY finalists. Before Game 2, Thunder veteran Alex Caruso magnified one play that proved he was different from the other candidates.
“Respectfully, I don’t think those three guys can make that play, and that’s just kind of the uniqueness, and the special talent that Lu Dort is,” Caruso said. “To be able to pursue all of that, slip on the play, get up, guard arguably one of the quickest, twitchiest guards in the league, and then block the shot. That kind of just encapsulates the kind of defender he is, and I know he’s not worried about labels or awards; it would have been nice.”
Grizzlies' Ja Morant finished with a team-high 23 points on 10-of-25 in Game 2.
Cavs All-Star Evan Mobley, Warriors veteran Draymond Green, and Hawks guard Dyson Daniels are the three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year.
