The Oklahoma City Thunder opened their Western Conference semifinal with a controlled 108-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday at Paycom Center, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s postgame remarks centered on execution, rhythm, and adjustment.
“We honestly were just more ourselves in the second half,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Took us a little bit to get into it tonight to get back to what we were.”
The Thunder tightened defensively after halftime, holding Los Angeles to 37 points in the final two quarters. Gilgeous-Alexander pointed to the team’s response after an uneven start following an extended break.
“Obviously a little bit of a break, a little bit of rust is expected, but we eventually got to it and were able to do enough to win,” he said.
On offense, Oklahoma City faced aggressive coverage designed to disrupt his rhythm, leading to turnovers early.
“I was loose with the ball, had a lot of turnovers,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I think that goes into the rust of not playing for a little bit.”
Even with those mistakes, he stressed the process behind shot creation. “We got great looks,” he said. “Sometimes it didn’t go down, but we got great looks… just betting on us getting the best look for our team and living with the results.”
A major theme was his evolving connection with Chet Holmgren, who finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted how timing and spacing have improved.
“The tallest guy on the floor is always open,” he said when discussing Holmgren’s lob threat role. “I try to use that as much as I can.”
He also reflected on Holmgren’s development since entering the league. “The first day when he walked in the doors, you could just tell how much he cares about the game and his game.”
Gilgeous-Alexander praised the growth of young contributors like Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain, emphasizing trust within the rotation.
“He’s been great… he’s helped us win multiple games and big-time games this season,” he said of McCain.
On Mitchell, he added, “There’s no shaking Ajay. For him to be as reliable as he is for our group… it’s very impressive.”
Defensively, he acknowledged Marcus Smart’s impact without overstating individual matchups. “He is who everyone thinks he is. A really good defender.”
Gilgeous-Alexander also addressed his midrange-heavy approach, linking it to league tendencies. “It’s the shot that the NBA lets people take,” he said. “I just wanted to be good at it.”
When grading his performance, he stayed measured. “It was okay. It wasn’t my best, wasn’t my worst.”
The Thunder now lead the series 1-0, with Game 2 set for Thursday as Oklahoma City looks to maintain control of the matchup.
