'It didn't feel special' – Gilgeous-Alexander shrugs off 40-point haul

Oklahoma City Thunder talisman Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shrugged off his career-high 45 points as he suggested the showing "didn't feel special".

Gilgeous-Alexander's 14th career 40-point game inspired the Thunder to a 134-126 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

Yet Gilgeous-Alexander did not want to play up the importance of his haul, as he instead focuses on pushing for a deeper postseason run this time around.

"It didn't feel special," Gilgeous-Alexander said. 

"It didn't feel like I did something I'd never done before. Just felt like another basketball game. I felt like I should have had more, missed some easy shots, but [that's] the game.

"I don't say this to slight my teammates, but I feel like the end of our season last year in the playoffs, obviously for a lot of them, it was the first time in the playoffs and playing games that meaningful.

"I don't want to say they weren't ready, but I feel like I could have equipped them better throughout the year in taking [certain] shots, getting to spots and being more comfortable in certain positions on the court, especially offensively.

"I feel like in the playoffs we were good defensively and offensively is why we lost. And part of my job is to make sure that my teammates are confident and are ready for big moments."

Gilgeous-Alexander had to step up against the Clippers, given his star teammate Chet Holmgren faces up to two months out due to a hip injury.

He is the first player in the Thunder's franchise history to record at least 45 points and five steals in a single game, and he explained how he was set on getting Oklahoma City back on track after their defeat to the Dallas Mavericks in last season's playoffs.

"When we lost, I thought about why we lost and obviously there's so many things to nitpick," Gilgeous-Alexander said, with the Thunder having gone 9-2 to start the season.

"But I can only control what I can control, and I try to look at it from through that lens.

"A lot of people don't recognize it until it's too late. And I don't want it to be too late, so I tried to hit it on the head early."

Last modified on Tuesday, 12 November 2024 08:17