OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A sick, exhausted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander politely answered questions after a 40-point sport that led his Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder previous the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night time.
He was listed as questionable on the pregame damage report with an sickness. A game-time choice deemed him accessible, and the reigning league MVP made 12 of 19 subject targets and 15 of 17 free throws in a 113-105 victory within the NBA Cup.
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Gilgeous-Alexader spent himself serving to the Thunder win their tenth straight and enhance to 18-1. He wore a heavy grey quarter-zip sweatshirt and a Burberry scarf to the postgame interview desk. He was considerate, however didn’t fairly have his typical power.
“Yeah, I really feel good,” he stated. “I felt ok to play. I used to be slightly extra drained on the market than typical, however I did sufficient to get the job executed tonight. I felt ok to play, so I performed.”
He received off to a gradual begin, however bounced again to attain 13 factors in seven minutes within the second quarter.
“I assumed he gave us an enormous offensive raise,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated. “I assumed he learn the sport rather well tonight offensively. He gave us an enormous offensive raise within the second quarter. We simply had a very arduous time offensively there and he sort of carried us for slightly stretch there to shut the half and allowed us to open a pleasant lead.”
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Gilgeous-Alexander made only one subject objective within the fourth quarter however made 9 of 10 free throws. He wanted to come back by means of as a result of Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards scored 14 of his 31 factors within the ultimate 7:34 to make the sport tight.
Gilgeous-Alexander wished to be there for his teammates, particularly as a result of it was an NBA Cup sport. The Thunder improved to 4-0 in West Group A and can spherical out group play Friday at dwelling towards Phoenix.
“Video games imply slightly bit extra,” he stated. “You’ll be able to actually earn cash by profitable these seven video games, so there’s slightly little bit of incentive behind it, slightly bit extra than simply waking up and enjoying for certain.”
The Thunder beat Minnesota 4-1 within the Western Convention Finals final season, and the Timberwolves gave them one among their hardest video games this season Wednesday. Sick or not, Gilgeous-Alexander embraces these sorts of challenges.
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“It’s the way you develop, how we develop as a group,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “Taking part in towards the perfect and getting their greatest solely helps us see the place we’re on a nightly foundation. We’ve executed fairly good thus far.”
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