Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reveals NBA Cup’s “Hunter Mentality”

Despite the defending champions’ strong near-perfect record, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder and continue to strive to improve. The The 24-1 Thunder are riding a 16-game winning streak entering into NBA Cup semifinal game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Gilgeous-Alexander addressed the Thunder approach as the defending champion this season during his media availability in Las Vegas.

“We’re going out there with a hunter mentality ourselves, and honestly, we’re going out there to get better,” Gilgeus-Alexander said. “I’m sure you’ve heard stories about some of my teammates competing against each other during games to get steals, things like that — that’s what’s in our heads. We’re trying to be a better version of ourselves every night we go out there, we like to hunt in that shape.”

“If we didn’t get better tonight, then we wasted an opportunity. That’s how we see it.”

“We go out there with a hunting mentality … We try to be a better version of ourselves every night we go out there, we like to hunt in that shape.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on OKC Thunder’s mindset in the NBA Cup 🏆

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder defeated the Phoenix Suns 138-89 in the NBA Cup quarterfinals at the Paycom Center, where Oklahoma City is a perfect 12-0 this season. The Spurs clinched a spot in Vegas after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119 on Wednesday.

All-Star Victor Wembanyama, who has been sidelined since November 14 with a sprained left leg, is expected to return to the Spurs.

Why Mark Daigneault isn’t focused on the Thunder’s streak

Thunder head coach Marc Daigneault reflected on his team’s 16-game winning streak after Wednesday’s win, explaining how his team’s lack of focus on the hype surrounding them helped the players stay locked in. That’s the kind of ideal mental focus Daigneault sees in the Thunder’s approach, which is at a high level and has resulted in a team that has won 16 straight.

“Not focusing on the streak,” Daigneault said, is critical. “You just have to play the next possession, be better the next day, win the next quarter and compete in the next game. If you do that and you’re present in the process, sometimes you look up and you get a certain amount of games in a row. But we definitely have to realize that we still have a lot of improvement. We have a lot of things to maintain and challenge.

“We have a long season ahead of us. But the guys have done a great job of staying very present in the season, so far, competing at this point, and that has put us in a good position,” Daigneault concluded.

The Thunder will meet the Spurs in Las Vegas on Saturday.