Shai Gilgous-Alexander scored 38 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the semifinals of the West Conference by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 117-115 on Saturday to complete a sweep of four games.
Jalen Williams added 23 points for the best sown Thunder, who led the NBA with a 68-14 record this season and became the first team to reach the second round. The Nuggets will wait or not. 5 Los Angeles Clippers in the next round.
“I did not feel that my mentality was different,” said Gilgous-Alexander. “Every night I pass to the floor to be the best version of myself. I had my leg in the past (games), but tonight I was quite close. I think because I kept the same mentality, it allowed me to play for free.”
The Grizzlies played without the star of the star Ja Morant, who fashed his left hip in a hard fall in game 3. The Thunder erased a deficit of 29 points after he left, the second largest return in a postseason game detailed by the game by 97.
“His fight tonight was impressive, said Thunder Mark Daigneault coach.” Below 3-0, below Morant and below 11 with four (minutes) for the end. Much respect for them competitively. “
Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Isaiah Joe had 11 points each for the Thunder, with Hartenstein adding 12 rebounds.
Scotty Pips Jr. agreed with his career with 30 points and caught 11 rebounds. Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama had 23 points each.
“Scotty did a tremendous job until the end of the season. He was very consistent at both ends,” said the interim coach of the Grizzlies, Tuomas Iisalo.
The game was close in three quarters with Neith Team Builting a significant advantage. Oklahoma City led 88-85 entering the room. At that time, the Thunder were 4 of 29 from the range of 3 points.
The triple of Williams with 5:41 remaining in the game gave the Thunder a 102-92 advantage, the first time any team reached a two-digit advantage. The advantage would reach 11 before Memphis recovered and a triple of Bane with 7.1 seconds that were reduced to 116-114.
Williams divided a couple of free throws with remaining 6 seconds and thunder committed Bane intentionally. He did the first, but Memphis could not recover his intentional failure of the second.
“We could have a little more tight leg when we build the advantage (to 11 in the fourth quarter),” said Daigneeault. “I thought we relaxed a little in specific defensive possessions. Once he adjusted, I thought that everything, from the execution to the management of the clock … was very positive.”
After six leadership changes and five draws in the middle, Oklahoma City led 60-59 at rest.
“We fight, all in this team. As, there was zero to resign on this team,” Iisalo said, adding that the Grizzlies simply could not close the game.
Associated Press reports.
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