SGA gets brutally honest about developing during an NBA career

Doc Oklahoma City Thunder guard His team was helped by Cason Wallace’s absurd seven three-pointers keep the Denver Nuggets at bay in the second half, Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderA double-double (34 points, 13 assists) led to a 121-111 victory. After the head Coach Mark Daigneault presented Cason Wallace with his flowers to set career highs in 3-pointers and points (27), Gilgeous-Alexander talked about the importance of beating an elite team like the Nuggets.

Gilgeus-Alexander found a healthy balance of when to score and when to facilitate, which made a huge difference in a game where the Thunder’s defense of All-Star Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray was elite. Still, against one of the better defenses in the NBA, the Nuggets, Gilgeous-Alexander adapted throughout the night.

“As I go through my career and I go through seasons, and games, and I see different coverages and different body types, I’m just trying to grow,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And the better you are at individual scoring, the more they make you pass. That’s the way it goes. And I’d be doing myself a disservice not to rely on that and not work on that kind of stuff. I just try to take what the defense gives me, and I’m always at their mercy.”

Gilgeous-Alexander was an efficient 11-for-16 from the floor, including 1-for-2 from deep and 11-for-13 from the free throw line. He also finished with two blocks and one steal. The Thunder defense held Jokic (16 points) to 6-for-9 shooting, and Murray (12 points) finished 4-for-16 from the floor.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominates Thunder win

In a rematch of last year’s seven-game Western Conference semifinal against the Nuggets, Gilgeous-Alexander found a healthy balance between when to score and when to help, all dependent on Denver’s defensive coverages.

“Those games — they’re not necessarily that serious — that high level of basketball, teams won’t let you do what you want to do. Teams won’t let you play to your strengths,” Gilgeus-Alexander added. “That’s what makes good teams, good teams. And the later you go into the season, the more good teams you play, especially defensively. They make you play second, third and fourth options, as a team and as individuals.

“Then, the scouting report gets tougher, and they get better as the series goes on because they see you every night. It’s not like they see you tonight. Then they don’t see you for a few months, like in the regular season. Going through that experience kind of made me better, and just my plan A, but my plan B, plan C and plan C.”

For Gilgeous-Alexander, having those secondary plans ready to execute is what makes him one of the NBA’s best players.

“These types of games force you to give it your best shot or you’re going to embarrass yourself,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Teammates this good have a talent level as well as a history. They just make you bring it, otherwise you’re going to get beat – you’re going to get beat bad. And I think the guys did a great job all over the place, bring it, ready to play.”

The Thunder will return home to host the Magic at the Paicom Center on Tuesday.