Don't look now, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are nipping at the Los Angeles Lakers' heels for that final play-in spot in the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. are just a half-game behind the Purple and Gold and took a huge step in the right direction Tuesday evening, winning their third straight contest. This time it came against the defending champion Golden State Warriors, putting up 137 points in the process.
Following the victory, SGA expressed how truly grateful he is to be leading the Thunder's revival back to relevancy amid his All-Star campaign. Via Brandon Rahbar:
“I’m lucky. Not a lot of guys get an opportunity to put their fingerprints on what an NBA basketball team looks like.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't just putting his fingerprints on the franchise, he's showing out on a nightly basis. The Canadian guard dropped 33 on the Dubs and that's just a regular occurrence for SGA at this point. In 2022-23, the 24-year-old is averaging 31.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per night in 56 outings. He's fourth in the league in scoring.
While he is undoubtedly the leading catalyst for OKC, there are some intriguing pieces around him on this roster. Josh Giddey is a versatile backcourt mate who can do a little bit of everything, Lu Dort is a solid defender and offensive contributor, and rookie guard Jalen Williams continues to show promise as well.
The scariest part is Chet Holmgren has yet to play for the organization after suffering an injury prior to the season. Once he's in the mix in 2023-24, they're only going to be even better, plus more draft picks.
Good times are ahead for the Thunder.
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