Thunder Notes: SGA, Bench, Turnovers, McCain, Caruso
The Spurs scored the first 15 points. Then the Thunder came roaring back in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, led by two-time Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA had 26 points and 12 assists in the 123-108 victory, which gave Oklahoma City a 2-1 series lead.
“We just went out there and competed,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per Raul Dominguez of The Associated Press. “They obviously jumped on us early. First game in their building, their crowd behind them, they were excited to play. We just wanted to make sure we competed from that point on. We obviously didn’t give our best effort to start that game, but can’t do nothing about it. It’s behind us. All we can do is focus on the next possession, and we did that.”
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- Head coach Mark Daigneault pointed to his team’s low turnover total, 10, as a key to the comeback. “Other than the first 15 points, our defense was really tight,” Daigneault said. “We got back, settled down into the halfcourt. Our offense had something to do with that. We ran good offense tonight, despite the fact that they were amped up and ready to go, the Spurs were. It’s a discipline series. We did that. We couldn’t be reckless against them, they are too good with the ball, too well coached, too talented. So you’ve got to be able to do it with discipline. I thought we really were disciplined tonight.”
- Despite Jalen Williams (hamstring) being sidelined, the Thunder have so much depth that their reserves outscored the Spurs’ bench, 76-23. In-season acquisition Jared McCain led the way with 24 points. “He just oozes confidence,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “He knows exactly who he is, he knows exactly what he does, and he goes out there and does it no matter what. Whether the ball goes in or out he makes the next play, he makes the best play for himself and for the guys out there. He’s always aggressive, always in attack mode and we needed it tonight.”
- Who is the series MVP thus far? Not SGA or Victor Wembanyama, according to Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman, whose pick is Alex Caruso. The veteran guard has not been simply a defensive dynamo but has made all-around contributions, scoring 15 points in 24 minutes in Game 3, Carlson notes. He is averaging 21.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in the series and is a plus-46 during his minutes. “I think the most impressive thing is, he makes the plays that have nothing to do with physical ability,” Chet Holmgren said.
Thunder Notes: Caruso, Gilgeous-Alexander, McCain, Accountability
The Thunder boast a two-time MVP guard, an All-Star big man, and an All-NBA wing, but through two games of the Western Conference Finals, 32-year-old backup guard Alex Caruso has been the key to unlocking the team’s potential on both ends of the court, Kelly Iko writes for Yahoo Sports.
A year after showing his versatility by defending Nikola Jokic in the playoffs, Caruso has been tasked, at times, with guarding Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. Even more importantly, he has shown no fear in attacking the first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year on offense, even as some of his teammates shied away from the large barrier Wembanyama represents.
“He’s got an unbelievable focus and is a monster competitor,” said coach Mark Daigneault said of Caruso. “It seems like the bigger the moment, the bigger the game, the more he wants to compete in it. And he’ll fail and not blink, and he’ll be aggressive in the next possession, next game and he was huge again tonight. His minutes were massive for us.”
With Jalen Williams limited by injuries and Ajay Mitchell and Chet Holmgren working themselves into a rhythm, Caruso has stepped up offensively. Through two games, he is the series’ third-leading scorer behind the two teams’ respective MVP finalists, averaging 24.0 points per contest while hitting 11 of his 18 threes.
Caruso’s ability to guard up in the lineup also has downstream effects on the Thunder’s offense, as they are able to play more guards alongside him, thereby injecting much-needed shooting and ball-handling as the team searches for creases in San Antonio’s imposing defense.
“His leadership is over the roof, honestly, especially on the [defensive] end of the floor,” Luguentz Dort said. “He communicates a lot. He’s really smart as a player and watches a lot of basketball as well. So he knows a lot of plays and the tricks we need to get stops defensively. Able to read the game well and he’s been amazing.”
Whether he can keep up the hot shooting remains to be seen, but with Williams being listed as day-to-day after leaving Game 2 early with a hamstring injury and Mitchell also suffering an injury scare, Caruso’s responsibilities are unlikely to decrease as the series progresses.
We have more from the Thunder:
- After an uncharacteristically quiet performance in the Game 1 loss, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put together the kind of MVP performance fans have come to expect from him in Game 2, Joel Lorenzi writes for The Athletic. “I guess I just have sucked when I get too long of a break,” he said. “I don’t think it’s anything other than that. I don’t know. I guess I gotta do a better job with my breaks, especially during the playoffs.” Instead of playing into the Spurs’ coverages, Gilgeous-Alexander found ways to get to his spots and stopped letting Stephon Castle‘s rugged defense get to him. “We just had no choice but to play to our strengths,” he said, “or else.”
- If you just looked at the efficiency, it would be easy to miss Jared McCain‘s impact on Game 2, Lorenzi writes. Although McCain made just 4-of-14 shots from the floor, his energy and hustle were clearly infectious as he played his way to 12 points, six rebounds, and two steals in 26 minutes. This is nothing unusual for a player who has quickly ingratiated himself with his Thunder teammates due to his outsized personality, Marc J. Spears writes for Andscape. “The first week or two that he was here felt like he had been here the whole season,” Dort said of McCain. “That is the type of guy he is. That is the type of locker room we have. Really funny and really loud, and he blended in with everyone really quick.” It’s not just about his off-court personality, though. “That translates to his game as well,” Caruso added. “He is constantly moving on offense, which is manipulating the defense. He’s starting to pick up some of our other principles. He picked up a big offensive rebound tonight.”
- The Thunder have built a juggernaut based on the principles of precision, attention to detail, and accountability, writes Dan Woike of The Athletic. On a roster as loaded with NBA-level talent as Oklahoma City’s, players have had to find roles they can thrive in, even if that feels like a sacrifice. Cason Wallace is a good example of that trait: there are 20 players from the 2023 draft class that are averaging more points per game than the former 10th overall pick, but those guys aren’t playing critical minutes in the Western Conference finals, as he is. Even when Wallace isn’t on the floor, though, he knows what is expected of him. “Honestly, you just go out there and be who you are,” the defensive-minded point guard said. “If it’s your night then, you know, it’s your night, and we’re all gonna be excited, and we’re all gonna put our best foot forward. But when it’s somebody else’s night, we also understand that and we cheer them on.”
- While that sounds good in theory, Daigneault and the players know that it’s one thing for players to talk about accountability, but quite another to buy into it. “There’s a collective understanding of where the bar is,” Holmgren said, per Woike. “And it’s human nature is to be imperfect. Nobody’s gonna be perfect. I might shoot a shot where it’s ‘S–t, I ain’t shot one in a while.’ Human nature is ‘OK, let me get one up’ … But there’s an understanding that there’s human nature, that nobody’s gonna be perfect. But there’s also an understanding if somebody sees you drifting, hey, we’re gonna pull you back in.”
Thunder Notes: SGA, Caruso, Holmgren, Mitchell
The league’s two-time Most Valuable Player was disappointed by his performance in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 points and 12 assists in 51 minutes during the Thunder‘s double overtime loss to the Spurs but he shot only 7-of-23 from the floor and committed four turnovers, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon notes.
“We just got to be better — me, in particular,” he said. “I have to be better, especially against a team of this caliber. Nothing more than that.”
San Antonio focused its defense on containing SGA. They often double-teamed Gilgeous-Alexander while Victor Wembanyama sagged off spot-up shooters to protect the rim.
“I know what my teammates are capable of, what we’re capable of as a team when we bring it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s just unfortunate that I wasn’t able to bring my best game tonight, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Sometimes, you’re your best version, sometimes you’re not. You’ve got to roll with the punches, don’t get discouraged and stay true to who you are.”
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- Alex Caruso was the beneficiary of San Antonio’s strategy, erupting for 31 points. Caruso says his intensity ramps up in the playoffs. “I think that’s probably why I play better this time of year, because winning is of the utmost importance and it carries a lot more weight in the playoffs than it does during the season,” Caruso said, per Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. “It’s one of those things where you’re just trying to make whatever the play is and trying to win the game.”
- Chet Holmgren struggled throughout the season against the Spurs and that didn’t change in Game 1, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman writes. In five games against the Spurs, Holmgren is averaging 10 points per contest on 37% shooting. That includes his eight-point output in Game 1, with both of his field goals coming on three-pointers. How can they get him more involved? “It’s a good question,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “I think the general attacks in the offense will benefit everybody, put everybody in advantages, including him. The playoffs to this point have been a lot of that for him. He’s been very effective, and I think it’s been downstream of us running good offense. It’s not like we’re pushing buttons for him, it’s more like an identity thing that is feeding everybody and he’s been in the middle of that. I think if we play better collectively, he’ll be more involved and we’ll be able to get more cracks offensively.”
- Ajay Mitchell averaged 22.5 points per game against the Lakers in the conference semifinals but only took five shots in Game 1 while scoring four points. The 2024 second-round pick contributed in other ways with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. “There was part of me that truly believed I was a first-round pick,” Mitchell said to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears. “But there was another part of me that was like, ‘Don’t forget where you come from.’ For me to even play in the NBA and get drafted was like a dream as a little kid. Being able to do it, I will never take it for granted. It was a little mixed [emotions]. I definitely wanted to show people I was worth a first-round pick. I am just really happy to be a part of this organization with an opportunity to get better. That was the main goal for me.”
Thunder Notes: SGA, MVP, Nash, Holmgren
After winning his second consecutive MVP award on Sunday, becoming just the fifth guard — and 14th overall player — in NBA history to accomplish the feat, Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander credited his family, friends, teammates, coaching staff, and everyone else who has helped him along the way, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscriber link).
“There are so many people in my life who sacrificed for me to just play this game I love,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I would be doing them a disservice if I didn’t give it my all, and that’s really what it’s about. I’m making sure when I’m done and I hang these shoes up that I gave everything I had to the game. Whatever that looks like for me, I’ll live with. I’ll be more than pleased with what I got out of it.
“But the accolades and points and all of the stuff that’s cool on social media, none of that is what I’m after. I’m just making sure that while I’m doing this thing I’m giving it my all and I’m not wasting anybody’s time.”
The Canadian guard, who was selected 11th overall in the 2018 draft, bought all of teammates matching Burburry trench coats and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver watches, according to Martinez, who says those gifts were worth about $40K per person. All of his teammates were in attendance at the press conference.
“Thank you guys so much,” Gilgeous-Alexander said as he looked around at his teammates. “From setting screens to rebounding when I miss to passing me the ball even though I don’t pass you the ball, everything you guys do to make me a better player out there, I really appreciate you guys. Basketball is obviously a team sport. All of the numbers, all of the accolades and everything I do on the court, if we won 10 games, I wouldn’t be in this conversation. So thank you guys so much. I love you guys.”
Here’s more on the Thunder, who will host San Antonio on Monday for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals:
- Gilgeous-Alexander’s latest MVP trophy is yet another example of how fortunate Thunder fans have been over the last 18 years, says Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman (subscription required). Thunder players have now won four MVP awards over that span, while eight franchises — including the Pistons, who have been in the league for 77 years — have never had an NBA MVP. More importantly, the team has also had tremendous success during that time, with Gilgeous-Alexander helping lead the team to its first championship last June. The 27-year-old’s selflessness and team-first approach has elevated those around him, Carlson writes, and he ended his presser with a brief and serious message to his teammates. “We have a lot more work to do,” he said, rolling his index fingers around each other. “So after tonight, get back to work.”
- Steve Nash is another one of the aforementioned guards who won back-to-back MVPs. He helped present the award Sunday in his role with Prime video, with Gilgeous-Alexander later stating that Nash — another Canadian — was the first person to tell SGA was going to play in the NBA (video link via Jordan Davis of The Oklahoman).
- Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA’s MVP for the 2025/26 regular season, but Chet Holmgren has been Oklahoma City’s MVP through the first two rounds of the playoffs, contends Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (subscriber link). Holmgren, who was still dealing with the lingering effects of a fractured hip during the Thunder’s 2025 title run, has averaged 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals on .600/.387/.885 shooting through eight postseason games (31.4 minutes per contest). “It just seems like he’s around the basket more,” head coach Mark Daigneault said. “He’s finding more cracks, we’re finding him more … His decisiveness on the perimeter over time has smoothed. His shot-drive reads. His ability to move (the ball) quickly. And then we’ve talked about this a lot, but his versatility defensively. His ability to be impactful at the five, at the rim and also on the perimeter has unlocked a lot of options for us. The list is long, but it should be for a guy that’s as impactful as he is.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Named 2025/26 NBA MVP
6:52 pm: Gilgeous-Alexander has officially been named MVP of the 2025/26 season, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
According to the league, the Canadian superstar received 83 of a possible 100 first-place votes and 939 total points (Twitter link). Nuggets center Jokic (634 points) was the runner-up, with more first-place (10) and second-place votes (48) than Spurs center Wembanyama, who finished third at 569 points.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (250 points) was a distant fourth in voting, while Pistons guard Cade Cunningham was fifth (117 points).
8:57 am: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will win his second straight Most Valuable Player award, multiple sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). The formal announcement will be made Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, just before the start of Game 7 of the Cavaliers–Pistons series.
The Thunder guard put up similar numbers to his MVP campaign from last year. In 68 games, he averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 55.3% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range. He helped Oklahoma City post a league-high 64 regular season wins and sweep its way through the first two rounds of the playoffs.
SGA is the 14th player in NBA history to claim back-to-back MVP honors and the first since Nikola Jokic did it in 2021 and 2022. Charania notes that he’s the first guard to win consecutive MVPs since Stephen Curry and the first backcourt player ever to average at least 30 PPG in a season while shooting better than 55% from the field. He also joins Michael Jordan as the only players to average at least 30 points and five assists while shooting 50% for four straight years.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored at least 20 points in every game he played this season, reaching a milestone previously only accomplished by Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor. His league-leading plus/minus rating of +788 for the season is far ahead of runner-up Victor Wembanyama, who was at +682.
Gilgeous-Alexander has a chance to move into the record book alongside Jordan, Bill Russell and LeBron James as the only players ever to win consecutive titles and back-to-back MVP trophies, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link).
ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out that SGA currently ranks 34th in the league in salary, and that his current figure at 24.8% of the cap will dip to 24.6% next season (Twitter link). He’ll move near the top in 2027/28 when his super-max extension kicks in.
Jokic and Wembanyama are the other finalists for this year’s award. Although Charania’s report takes the drama out of tonight’s announcement, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press states that Jokic still has a chance to join Russell and Larry Bird as the only players ever to finish in the top two in MVP voting for six consecutive years (Twitter link).
NBA To Announce MVP Award Sunday; SGA, Jokic, Wembanyama Finalists
The NBA will announce the winner of the Most Valuable Player award on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, just before the start of Game 7 of the Cavaliers–Pistons series, the league office announced (via Twitter).
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama are the three finalists for the award.
Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s Most Valuable Player, averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 68 regular season contests while leading the Thunder to a league-high 64 victories. He shot a career-best 55.3% from the field.
Jokic is seeking his fourth career MVP. The Nuggets center averaged a triple-double for the second consecutive season with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and a career-high 10.7 assists in 70 games.
Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and a league-leading 3.1 blocks in 64 regular season games. He was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year last month. The Spurs center would be the first French player to claim the MVP trophy.
The Spurs will face the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, beginning on Monday, and the scheduling announcement hints that SGA could be the winner, as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press notes. Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander was announced as the winner on May 21, and he was formally presented with the trophy before Game 2 of the conference finals in Oklahoma City the following day.
Lakers Notes: 3-0 Deficit, Hachimura, Reaves, Caruso, Ayton
The Lakers are facing playoff elimination on Monday after dropping the first three games of their second-round series against the defending champion Thunder. Head coach JJ Redick shared his message to his players after Sunday’s practice, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.
“Our first slide that we put up in training camp was [to] win the day,” Redick said. “Today was a quick offensive review and then just going over some stuff defensively. Got to win today and we got to win tomorrow. We know what we’re facing being down 3-0. So it’s just more of a mindset check than anything else.”
No playoff team has blown a 3-0 series lead, with those clubs holding a 161-0 series mark in those situations, Turner notes.
Forward Rui Hachimura, who has been on a “heater,” as Redick put it, is averaging 18.3 points while shooting 57.1% from long distance against Oklahoma City. He said the Lakers can’t afford to make mistakes or to have a drop in energy, particularly in the third quarter.
“I feel like every game we’re getting closer,” said Hachimura, an impending free agent. “Especially last night … apparently we had the best offensive game of the series, even the playoffs. I think we had really good looks, great looks. But I think defensively we, especially in the third quarter, we kind of slowed down. I don’t know [if] we got burned out or we got tired, whatever.
“So, I think our focus is like how we play in the first half we have to do in the whole game. … That’s going to be our goal.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Hachimura talked about how the Lakers have focused so much of their defensive attention on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has struggled in the series by his lofty standards, but have gotten torched by several other Thunder players, per Khobi Price of The California Post (Twitter video links). The 28-year-old Japanese forward also discussed what Los Angeles could learn from Oklahoma City, Price adds. “Everybody knows their roles,” Hachimura said. “Whatever they give them, the coaches, the team, giving them the roles, they understand it. They for sure have no complaints, they embrace their roles…basketball is a team sport. Everybody [has] a role. I can see that everybody knows that, what they’re supposed to do or not. So I think that’s where the difference is.”
- The Lakers initially thought Austin Reaves wouldn’t return from his strained oblique until the conference finals, but the 27-year-old guard spent extended time in a giant hyperbaric chamber at the UCLA medical center and made it back for Game 5 of the first round, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN details. “I left my house every day around 7:30 in the morning to get treatment and didn’t come home until about 8 at night,” Reaves told ESPN. “I was going crazy trying to get back. … I was in that hyperbaric chamber all the time.”
- Even if the Lakers had been healthy, their star-driven approach has revealed an “uncomfortable lesson,” Shelburne writes, as the Thunder are the superior team not just because of their top-end talent but because of their depth and continuity. Former Laker and current Thunder guard Alex Caruso says it’s a joy being on such a connected team. “It feels great to be a part of,” Caruso said. “You do it the right way and then you have people that you enjoy being around every day, and it makes it really simple.”
- Starting center Deandre Ayton had a couple defensive miscues in the third quarter of Game 3, when the Thunder broke the game open. Redick was asked about the plays on Sunday, as Price relays (Twitter video link). “I’ve been around DA for a season now. I know how special he is for our group to succeed,” Redick said. “And I told him this morning, I said to him in the Houston series at one point he was the big part of the reason we were winning the series. He was a big part of the reason we won the series. I believe in him and he’s going to help us win tomorrow.”
Thunder Notes: Mitchell, SGA, Wallace, Joe, Lottery
With the Lakers holding reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in check, a new star is emerging for the Thunder, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Second-year guard Ajay Mitchell, who wasn’t part of OKC’s rotation during its march to the title last season, had 24 points, 10 assists and no turnovers on Saturday as his team grabbed a 3-0 series lead with another dominant victory.
“I think the biggest thing for me was just going out there and being confident,” Mitchell said. “I know what I can do. When I go out there, I just want to compete and help this team win and play freely.”
Mitchell, who finished fifth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting, is only starting because Jalen Williams is sidelined with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. He has been a difference-maker in the first three games of the series, averaging 20.7 points, 6.7 assists and 1.0 turnovers while connecting at 53.3% from the field. He has also been the primary defender on Austin Reaves, who hasn’t shot well for most of the series.
“He’s just finding his footing,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s obviously his first run in the playoffs. It’s obviously a different ballgame. He’s just getting more and more comfortable as the game goes on, as the series goes on. I said this before, he had a rough [Game 2 in Phoenix], but he was so confident out there. I was never worried that he was going to figure it out, and he’s showing that.”
There’s more on the Thunder:
- L.A.’s focus on controlling Gilgeous-Alexander has been effective, even though Oklahoma City is finding other ways to win, MacMahon adds. SGA finished with 23 points in Game 3, but was uncharacteristically inefficient, making just seven of his 20 shots. The Lakers are using former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart to deny him the ball and then employing double teams whenever it does come to him. “Obviously, I haven’t been my best in performances, but I think I’ve been able to help the team win and that’s most important,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “As long as we win. If the rest of the playoff run or the rest of my career look like what it looked like the past few games, I’d be OK with it because we won games.”
- Mitchell could become one of the league’s biggest bargains over the next couple of years, notes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. As the 38th pick in the 2024 draft, he’s already the lowest-paid player on the roster at $3MM, and his salary falls to $2.85MM next season with a team option for the same amount for 2027/28. He’ll be extension-eligible by that point, and Mussatto expects the Thunder to reward him with a long-term contract that’s more in line with his production.
- Cason Wallace, who posted the highest-scoring playoff performance of his career with 12 points in Game 2, nearly exceeded it in the first quarter on Saturday, notes Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman. The third-year guard scored 11 points in the quarter by hitting all four of his shots, including three from beyond the arc, before finishing with 16. Isaiah Joe, who was losing playing time to Jared McCain earlier in the series, added 12 points and went 4-of-6 from three-point range.
- The Thunder, who already have the deepest roster in the league, could get even better with some lottery luck Sunday afternoon. They own the Clippers’ selection at No. 12, giving them a 1.5% chance to land the top overall pick and a 7.1% chance to finish in the top four, as we outlined in our lottery primer.
Northwest Notes: McDaniels, Wolves, A. Mitchell, Lillard
In a first-round series featuring a perennial MVP candidate (Nikola Jokic) and several other stars, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels was the best all-around player on the court, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
McDaniels put an exclamation point on his dominant two-way performance in Game 6, limiting Jamal Murray to 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting while registering a game-high 32 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in 45 minutes. The 25-year-old also sealed the series-clinching victory with key baskets down the stretch, as Krawczynski details.
Several other Timberwolves stepped up on Thursday with Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), Anthony Edwards (knee), Ayo Dosunmu (calf) and Kyle Anderson (illness) sidelined, including Terrence Shannon Jr. (24 points, six rebounds, two steals), Rudy Gobert (10 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks), and Naz Reid (17 points, seven rebounds, four assists).
But McDaniels was the driving force for Minnesota throughout the series, which saw the Wolves eliminate Denver from the playoffs for the second time in three years.
“He talked all series, and he backed it up all series,” head coach Chris Finch said. “And that’s called legitimate tough.”
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Timberwolves took the Nuggets’ late-season jockeying for position as a shot at them and used it as motivation throughout the hard-fought series, Troy Renck writes for the Denver Post. “Our guys took it personally. Denver had the chance to pick who they wanted to play coming down the stretch and they chose us,” coach Chris Finch said. “We used that as motivation in our preparation and all the way through the series.” Denver, in truth, seemed to try to avoid the Wolves by sitting several starters and limiting Jokic (who needed one more appearance to qualify for award consideration) to 18 minutes in its regular season finale, but its bench rose to the occasion and won anyway, setting up the familiar intra-divisional matchup.
- Ajay Mitchell didn’t realize he’d taken 20 shots for the Thunder in his Game 3 start until after the win, when he looked at the stat sheet, Justin Martinez writes for The Oklahoman (subscriber link). However, he knew that it was his job to be extra aggressive with Jalen Williams out, and he embraced that responsibility. “Ajay is one of the toughest dudes in the league,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Mentally, he’s never shaken. He’s never afraid of the moment. Ajay could be having the worst day ever, and you would never know. He’s so solid. Having a teammate like that makes you more confident by just knowing that no matter what, you know what you’re gonna get from him. The ball might not always go in, but you know what you’re getting from Ajay every time he steps on the floor.”
- The Trail Blazers took a big step in their team development by making the playoffs. Damian Lillard says it also became clear what the team needs heading into next season, Sean Meagher writes for The Oregonian. “I think the obvious thing is, you know, we just need to be a better shooting team,” Lillard said. “I think when you got a guy like Deni [Avdija], who’s constantly getting downhill and in the paint and, you know, forcing teams to have to help is going to generate good shots, you know, is going to generate opportunities. And we got to be able to capitalize on that. And you know I’m going to be in the paint. I’m gonna get around my guy. And teams are going to help. You know I know that I’ll get attention. And it’s going to lead to open shots as well.”
Rory Maher contributed to this post.
Thunder Notes: Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell, Caruso, McCain
The Thunder were able to win Game 3 handily against the Suns, despite missing Jalen Williams, thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his superpower: inevitable consistency, Joe Mussatto writes for The Oklahoman.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game with 42 points, a playoff career-high, along with eight assists, and did it the same way he always does: hitting step-back threes, getting to the foul line, and operating in the mid-range. It was a masterful performance — only Russell Westbrook has scored more in a Thunder playoff game — but it was also entirely ordinary for the MVP.
“He’s got great poise and composure,” head coach Mark Daigneault said of his star after the Game 3 victory. “I think his confidence has something to do with that, he feels agency over his performance so he’s never gonna let anything else or anybody else get in the way of him or his best performance.”
Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 34.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in the series heading into Monday’s Game 4.
We have more Thunder notes:
- With Williams sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Ajay Mitchell was given the starting nod in Game 3, and while he didn’t have the most efficient night, making just 5-of-20 field goal tries, he showed fearlessness during his minutes, Rylan Stiles writes for Sports Illustrated. “He’s obviously not shy, so that’s a start. Winners fail and losers hide. He wasn’t hiding,” Daigneault said of Mitchell’s performance. “That’s one of the things I love about this team. We’ve got a bunch of guys who lean into the competition.”
- Alex Caruso was greeted with boos by the Phoenix home crowd after Suns’ star Devin Booker claimed he only received a technical foul in the previous game after the Thunder guard had lobbied for it. Caruso was undeterred and showed why he’s such a driver of winning, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. He did the little things, disrupting passing lanes and finding the Suns’ weak points on defense. “I love being able to find and pick apart little advantages that we can gain through the game,” Caruso said. “My mind, especially during the postseason, is always running and tinkering and looking for different ways to take advantage of the game.”
- While he only scored seven points on eight shots in the win, Jared McCain‘s impact off the bench in the second quarter was huge and earned him an A-minus grade in Stiles’ post-game recap. McCain’s 12 minutes of action helped the Thunder tread water in the minutes without Gilgeous-Alexander, which Stiles says will be the key to the Thunder’s postseason success, especially with Williams out.