OKC Thunder Superstar Wants to 'Take Their Head Off' Regardless of Matchup

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 20-5, clearly respecting the regular season with its 0-0 mindset, regardless of matchup. Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spoke to that when asked about that the Thunder's headlining matchup against the Bucks on Tuesday
Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in a semifinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in a semifinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder sit with a 20-5 record, No. 1 in the Western Conference for the second straight season and again see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the mix for the NBA award.

Unlike last season, this year the OKC Thunder punched its ticket to the Vegas to compete for the NBA Cup Championship, weaving its way the Western Conference Group play and knock out round traffic and now, meeting the Milwaukee Bucks in the second-ever in-season tourament title game.

On Monday, each team held an NBA Cup Championship media day. The OKC Thunder superstar was peppered with questions about facing the Bucks and fellow superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the idea behind the quiz inferring this is a bigger stage than a Tuesday night against the Hornets.

"To be completely honest with you, I don't differentiate games on who I play against. If we played the worst team, the best team in the league, I try to take their head off," Gilgeous-Alexander said.

It is hard to push back on that notion, the Thunder rattled off 57 wins in the regular season, with Gilgeous-Alexander dominating each game.

That has been the same this year, with Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 30.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.9 blocks while shooting 51 percent from the floor, 34 percent from beyond the arc and 86 percent at the charity stripe.

This mindset is in line with what the Oklahoma City Thunder always preach, a 0-0 mentality.


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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network.