-
Follow Us
On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
It wasn’t technically a must-win game, but the Oklahoma City Thunder needed to get a win in game four to avoid going down 3-1 in their series with the Dallas Mavericks. It took a late-game surge, but the Thunder got it done. Oklahoma City was down for the majority of the game, but they turned it on late to get a 100-96 win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was huge in the game as he finished with a game-high 34 points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a point to prove in game four, and he certainly rose to the occasion. He finished with 34 points on 14-27 shooting, and he also had eight rebounds and five assists. Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t going to let the Thunder go down 3-1.
Before the game, Gilgeous-Alexander entered the arena wearing an interesting outfit that involved a trench coat. It took awhile for people to figure out what he was going for with the outfit, but he was apparently inspired by Omar from The Wire. Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon discussed it all on Hoop Collective.
Tim MacMahon: “I did not see Shai when he arrived at the arena, I did not see his fit until post game. Did you boys see his fit?”
Brian Windhorst: “It was all white.”
Tim MacMahon: “It was an all white, and I’m not sure what designer it was.”
Brian Windhorst: “Like the messiah.”
Tim MacMahon: “No, no that’s not what he was going for. I’m sure it was some fancy designer I didn’t ask. It was all white but there was a trench coat, and he’s walking out after his press conference and I said, kind of gives me an Omar vibe. You know Omar?”
Brian Windhorst: “Omar Vizquel?”
Tim MacMahon: “No, no, no from The Wire, Omar is coming, do the little whistle.”
Brian Windhorst: “Yeah, Omar was carrying a firearm.”
Tim MacMahon: “Oooh so was Shai, I said it’s kind of giving me an Omar vibe and he says, ‘You see what I was going for.'”
Brian Windhorst: “They have The Wire up in Canada?”
Tim MacMahon: “They apparently do.”
Omar from The Wire is what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was going for, and it ended up leading to a huge game out of the young star.
Chet Holmgren reacts to big game from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the best player on the court on Monday night, and it led to a win for the Thunder. Chet Holmgren wasn’t surprised by Gilgeous-Alexander’s big game as he has been seeing this stuff all year long.
“There’s some points in the game I’m doing the same thing you guys are doing — just kind of being a fan of what he’s doing and, when some of those shots go in, just kind of making a face like, ‘That’s crazy,'” Chet Holmgren said, according to an article from ESPN. “But he’s been doing it all year. I’ve seen him do it since I got here, and that’s just who he is. Tough-shot maker, but he does a lot more out there for us than just that.”
For Gilgeous-Alexander, a big thing in the game was trusting himself. Trusting himself to make the right decisions, the right passes and the right plays in general. He did a good job making those choices.
“There’s a balance that you get to find,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “When to attack, when to pass, when to make the right play, when to not make the right play and trust your skill. It’s something that I battle with a lot and try to be really good at, and a lot of great players battle with it and try to be really good at it. But ultimately, it just comes down to, for the most part, taking what the defense gives you and trusting your teammates. You need ’em to win at a high level. That’s clear as day, and I want to win at a high level, so I have no option.”
The Thunder will look to take the series lead at home on Wednesday night. The game will get going at 9:30 ET, and it will be airing on TNT. Oklahoma City is currently favored by 4.5 points.
More must-reads:
- Watch: Caitlin Clark strikes first in WNBA matchup against Angel Reese
- Lakers set to benefit from Pelicans’ NBA Draft decision
- The 'Most three-pointers made in the playoffs' quiz
Breaking News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
