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It was a had-to-have-it game for the Thunder.
And just like in Game 2s last year against the Nuggets and Pacers, the Thunder bounced back after a Game 1 loss to even the Western Conference finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back, too, as the Thunder beat the Spurs 122-113 on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.
Let’s get to the grades:
TAKEAWAYS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder strike back vs Spurs in Game 2 to even up West finals
Is there a chance there’s an Alex Caruso statue outside the arena before the end of these playoffs?
After scoring 31 points in Game 1, Caruso did a little bit of everything in Game 2. He scored 17 points, second only to SGA among Thunder scorers, and Caruso had another great shooting night, going 5 of 7 and 3 of 4 from behind the arc. He also grabbed three rebounds and dished five assists.
Add that to his defense, which is always great, and Caruso was plus-18, the best plus-minus of any Thunder.
“His minutes were massive for us,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
— Jenni Carlson, columnist
Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort were as good as they’ve been together in these playoffs.
SGA scored 30 points on 12-of-24 shooting. What’s more, in the final minute of the game, with the Spurs threatening to cut the Thunder lead to a possession, Gilgeous-Alexander hit a step-back jumper from the left wing over Stephon Castle that gave the Thunder the cushion that it needed to close out the game.
Dort, while not playing as big a defensive role as he has in some series, set a tone at the start of both halves. He scored the first basket of each, and both were drives, aggressive moves that got Dort in a position to score.
It was like he was reminding his teammates that being aggressive was imperative.
They followed his lead, too.
— Jenni Carlson, columnist
Jalen Williams injury update: OKC Thunder star exits Game 2 vs Spurs
One of the best dunks I’ve ever seen in person.
The Spurs guard leapt from the middle of the paint, cocked the ball back in his right hand and slung-shot it through the rim. Straight through Isaiah Hartenstein’s soul. (But Hartenstein got the last laugh).
It was certainly the dunk of the season at Paycom Center. For as great as the Thunder is, it’s not a team of high-flyers. None of them have the aerial force to pull off what Castle did in Game 2.
Chet Holmgren had the dunk of the night for the Thunder. Holmgren drove baseline through Keldon Johnson and Luke Kornet for a two-handed slam that put the Thunder ahead 87-77.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
This was classic Thunder.
OKC forced 21 turnovers and only committed nine of them. The Thunder had a 27-10 advantage in points off turnovers.
For as awesome as Stephon Castle is (see above), the second-year guard had nine turnovers to eight assists Wednesday night. He’s committed 20 turnovers through two games.
The Thunder didn’t take advantage of those miscues in Game 1. It rectified that in Game 2.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
Twice Mitch Johnson challenged a foul called against Victor Wembanyama, and twice Johnson was successful.
Johnson didn’t wait until crunch time. He used both of them in the first half. Those were huge calls that allowed the Spurs to keep Wembanyama on the floor.
The Thunder whiffed on its lone challenge. Mark Daigneault tried to overturn a foul call in the third quarter against Chet Holmgren. Holmgren wasn’t even in foul trouble. It seemed to be an emotional decision as much as anything, as Holmgren went down clutching his face after the play.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
Obviously, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault gets a big gold star for his decision to put Isaiah Hartenstein on Victor Wembanyama. There was lots of talk before the game about the Thunder putting one of its bigs on the really big Spur, but it was expected to be Chet Holmgren.
But the Hartenstein decision worked masterfully.
That, however, wasn’t Daigneault’s only good move. When Wemby went to the bench in the third quarter, for instance, Daigneault kept Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren on the court. The Thunder superstars feasted, going on a 10-0 run with SGA and Holmgren each scoring five points during the run.
We saw Daigneault’s mastery at work in last season’s playoffs, but in the first two rounds, the Thunder was so much better, his coaching got a bit lost. But Wednesday night, Daigneault played a huge role in a crucial Thunder win.
— Jenni Carlson, columnist
Now, I realize that Alex Caruso has definitely been a scorer coming off the bench in this series, but that’s not the defensive dynamo’s normal role. And if you look at the reserves whose role is to score, they haven’t exactly set the world on fire.
Isaiah Joe, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain combined to score 22 points in Game 2, but they went 8 of 25. From behind the arc, they were a combined 3 of 13.
Ehh.
Worse, Joe had a goose egg in the scoring column.
The Thunder’s depth is one of its greatest superpowers, but for it to have its biggest effect, the reserves have to do what they do best — and do it more efficiently.
— Jenni Carlson, columnist
Thunder playoff crowds are always a 10 out of 10. Wednesday night was a 14.
Paycom Center was striped blue and white. The fans seemed to will the team through shaky stretches and exploded at every Alex Caruso hustle play and Jared McCain 3.
They even got to sing along to “Titanium,” which blared from the speakers with 19.7 seconds left.
Home court matters. Especially in a series that could go the distance.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Thunder-Spurs report card: Alex Carso again does it all in WCF Game 2
Continue reading...
And just like in Game 2s last year against the Nuggets and Pacers, the Thunder bounced back after a Game 1 loss to even the Western Conference finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back, too, as the Thunder beat the Spurs 122-113 on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.
Let’s get to the grades:
TAKEAWAYS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder strike back vs Spurs in Game 2 to even up West finals
Alex Caruso: A
Is there a chance there’s an Alex Caruso statue outside the arena before the end of these playoffs?
After scoring 31 points in Game 1, Caruso did a little bit of everything in Game 2. He scored 17 points, second only to SGA among Thunder scorers, and Caruso had another great shooting night, going 5 of 7 and 3 of 4 from behind the arc. He also grabbed three rebounds and dished five assists.
Add that to his defense, which is always great, and Caruso was plus-18, the best plus-minus of any Thunder.
“His minutes were massive for us,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
— Jenni Carlson, columnist
Canadian Thunders: A
Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort were as good as they’ve been together in these playoffs.
SGA scored 30 points on 12-of-24 shooting. What’s more, in the final minute of the game, with the Spurs threatening to cut the Thunder lead to a possession, Gilgeous-Alexander hit a step-back jumper from the left wing over Stephon Castle that gave the Thunder the cushion that it needed to close out the game.
Dort, while not playing as big a defensive role as he has in some series, set a tone at the start of both halves. He scored the first basket of each, and both were drives, aggressive moves that got Dort in a position to score.
It was like he was reminding his teammates that being aggressive was imperative.
They followed his lead, too.
— Jenni Carlson, columnist
Jalen Williams injury update: OKC Thunder star exits Game 2 vs Spurs
Stephon Castle dunk: A+
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One of the best dunks I’ve ever seen in person.
The Spurs guard leapt from the middle of the paint, cocked the ball back in his right hand and slung-shot it through the rim. Straight through Isaiah Hartenstein’s soul. (But Hartenstein got the last laugh).
It was certainly the dunk of the season at Paycom Center. For as great as the Thunder is, it’s not a team of high-flyers. None of them have the aerial force to pull off what Castle did in Game 2.
Chet Holmgren had the dunk of the night for the Thunder. Holmgren drove baseline through Keldon Johnson and Luke Kornet for a two-handed slam that put the Thunder ahead 87-77.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
Taking advantage of Spurs turnovers: A
This was classic Thunder.
OKC forced 21 turnovers and only committed nine of them. The Thunder had a 27-10 advantage in points off turnovers.
For as awesome as Stephon Castle is (see above), the second-year guard had nine turnovers to eight assists Wednesday night. He’s committed 20 turnovers through two games.
The Thunder didn’t take advantage of those miscues in Game 1. It rectified that in Game 2.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
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Challenging night: F
Twice Mitch Johnson challenged a foul called against Victor Wembanyama, and twice Johnson was successful.
Johnson didn’t wait until crunch time. He used both of them in the first half. Those were huge calls that allowed the Spurs to keep Wembanyama on the floor.
The Thunder whiffed on its lone challenge. Mark Daigneault tried to overturn a foul call in the third quarter against Chet Holmgren. Holmgren wasn’t even in foul trouble. It seemed to be an emotional decision as much as anything, as Holmgren went down clutching his face after the play.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
Player rotations: A+
Obviously, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault gets a big gold star for his decision to put Isaiah Hartenstein on Victor Wembanyama. There was lots of talk before the game about the Thunder putting one of its bigs on the really big Spur, but it was expected to be Chet Holmgren.
But the Hartenstein decision worked masterfully.
That, however, wasn’t Daigneault’s only good move. When Wemby went to the bench in the third quarter, for instance, Daigneault kept Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren on the court. The Thunder superstars feasted, going on a 10-0 run with SGA and Holmgren each scoring five points during the run.
We saw Daigneault’s mastery at work in last season’s playoffs, but in the first two rounds, the Thunder was so much better, his coaching got a bit lost. But Wednesday night, Daigneault played a huge role in a crucial Thunder win.
— Jenni Carlson, columnist
Bench scorers: B-
Now, I realize that Alex Caruso has definitely been a scorer coming off the bench in this series, but that’s not the defensive dynamo’s normal role. And if you look at the reserves whose role is to score, they haven’t exactly set the world on fire.
Isaiah Joe, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain combined to score 22 points in Game 2, but they went 8 of 25. From behind the arc, they were a combined 3 of 13.
Ehh.
Worse, Joe had a goose egg in the scoring column.
The Thunder’s depth is one of its greatest superpowers, but for it to have its biggest effect, the reserves have to do what they do best — and do it more efficiently.
— Jenni Carlson, columnist
Thunder crowd: A+
Thunder playoff crowds are always a 10 out of 10. Wednesday night was a 14.
Paycom Center was striped blue and white. The fans seemed to will the team through shaky stretches and exploded at every Alex Caruso hustle play and Jared McCain 3.
They even got to sing along to “Titanium,” which blared from the speakers with 19.7 seconds left.
Home court matters. Especially in a series that could go the distance.
— Joe Mussatto, columnist
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Thunder-Spurs report card: Alex Carso again does it all in WCF Game 2
Continue reading...
