MIAMI — This is how the previous couple of days have gone for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder: Lose the NBA Cup last to Milwaukee in Las Vegas on Tuesday, spend time airborne over 4 completely different time zones on Wednesday, win in Orlando on Thursday, win in Miami on Friday.
It was, even by NBA requirements, a ridiculous schedule.
The Thunder by no means complained. They only performed — and gained. They anticipated nothing much less. The Western Convention’s greatest crew is 22-5 after beating the Warmth 104-97 on Friday evening and competing a two-game, two-night Florida sweep.
“I’m virtually stunned after we don’t reply the bell, irrespective of how troublesome the problem is,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned. “These guys have simply made a behavior of getting an unusual mindset and seeing challenges as alternatives somewhat than excuses.”
No one in all probability needs to be stunned.
In regular-season video games going again to the beginning of the 2023-24 season, the Thunder are 79-30 total and 35-20 on the highway — each of these marks second-best within the NBA behind solely Boston, the reigning league champs. They had been the No. 1 seed for the Western Convention playoffs final season. They’re within the No. 1 spot within the West thus far this season.
And now, they’re lastly going house. Most groups, in the event that they performed in Miami and do not have the second evening of a back-to-back awaiting, keep over after visiting the Warmth. Not the Thunder. They only performed 9 out of their final 11 video games in locations aside from Oklahoma Metropolis, they usually had been greater than prepared to move again to acquainted environment Friday evening.
“We did not wish to make any excuse,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “We, I prefer to say, have the most effective jobs on the planet. It sounds loopy however it’s slightly bit spoiled. We play basketball two nights in a row and receives a commission to take action. We have now a tremendous alternative. We’re blessed to be on this place.”
They’ve gained seven in a row (the NBA Cup last loss does not rely) for the second time this season. Gilgeous-Alexander is certainly one of 4 gamers averaging greater than 30 factors per recreation thus far. They’re on tempo for extra steals than any crew within the final 30 years. They usually’re doing all of it with out a single participant at the moment older than 30.
“These guys are monsters competitively,” Daigneault mentioned. “We have carried out a very good job. We have been on the highway 9 days. We had off days in Vegas and the fellows did an important job of form of placing cash within the financial institution there bodily, in order that we had been able to play and exert power and form of play for the lengthy haul. They did an important job on the journey to arrange for tonight. And now we’re excited to get again house.”
Jalen Williams confirmed that. The riser within the Warmth postgame interview room that the Thunder had been utilizing Friday evening is about 18 inches off the ground. Williams — who had a season-high 33 factors towards the Warmth — was searching for stairs to assist that not-so-big climb.
He was drained. Understandably so.
“Able to go house,” he groaned. “You haven’t any thought.”
