Midway through the third quarter of Tuesday evening’s Game 2, it seemed as if Memphis might actually have a chance against the powerful OKC, considering they had cut their rival’s lead to single digits for the first time in a long time. However, the Thunder pulled away again and beat them comfortably.
On the next two possessions, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the league’s leading scorer, responded with two buckets. The first came with a midrange jumper and the following play he lofted a turnaround over big man Zach Edey, who couldn’t stop the ball despite his outstretched arm,
The Grizzlies were never able to become a threat for Oklahoma City during the rest of the matchup, as the NBA’s best record won 118-99 and took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series. “I feel like I’m getting looks I usually make and just missing them,” Shai expressed postgame.
The OKC star then added how basketball can be inconsistent: “That’s part of basketball. It’s ups and downs, makes and misses. Because my team is really good, we’ve won two games by a decent margin. They’ve had my back these last two nights. Hopefully, I pick it up soon.”
The Thunder proved to be a true team, as they had six scorers in double figures in Game 1, led by 10th player Aaron Wiggins, who dropped 21 points. “It’s nothing new,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of his squad’s depth. “We’ve seen it all year. It’s why we have the record we have.”
The MVP candidate found other ways to contribute during the contest, with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and two steals. “He does so much [more] through the complete course of the game than just scoring for our team, and I think that’s showing up,” said teammate Alex Caruso.
The Oklahoma City veteran then added: “He might miss a couple shots that look routine that he might normally make. But if we’re winning games how we’re winning them and he’s having average days, I think that bodes well for us forward.”
