Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Goals for Thunder’s Profitable Milestone

LAS VEGAS — If a document or a trophy is inside the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder‘s attain, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needs it.

That features a potential pursuit of the NBA’s document of 73 wins set by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors.

“Completely,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated at Friday’s NBA Cup media availability when requested if that document meant something to him and his teammates. “Profitable issues. And it doesn’t matter what kind it appears to be like wish to me. So completely.”

The Warriors’ document has grow to be a subject of debate across the Thunder just lately as a result of the defending champions are off to such a historic begin. Oklahoma Metropolis is 24-1 getting into Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, matching that 2015-16 Golden State staff for the perfect document ever by means of 25 video games.

Spurs ahead Harrison Barnes, a starter on the record-setting Warriors, stated the Thunder are “most likely on observe” to interrupt that document. He famous, nonetheless, that the pursuit of the earlier document set of 72 wins set by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls took a toll on these Warriors, who misplaced within the NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“It is tiring. It is tiring,” Barnes informed ESPN. “Clearly, you take care of all varieties of narratives going into the season and issues like that. However every little thing’s completely different. It was lots.”

Gilgeous-Alexander has been clear that championships will at all times be his precedence over chasing data. A number of members of the Thunder, together with Gilgeous-Alexander, have emphasised the significance of blocking out potential distractions corresponding to focusing an excessive amount of on future prospects.

“We try to be a greater model of ourselves each night time we go on the market, and we wish to hunt in that kind,” Gilgeous-Alexander. “If we did not get higher tonight, then we wasted a possibility. That is sort of how we see it.”

The Thunder have received 16 consecutive video games, placing Oklahoma Metropolis nearly to the midway level of the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers‘ 33-game profitable streak.

Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t conscious that was the document for an NBA profitable streak till he was knowledgeable throughout his Friday media session.

“Wow, that is much more video games to win,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “Yeah, we’re so removed from that. I did not even know, in order that hasn’t even come near creeping in my thoughts. However hopefully we get there. That is the objective.”

The NBA Cup semifinals rely within the regular-season standings — and profitable streaks — however the championship recreation doesn’t.

The Thunder misplaced to the Milwaukee Bucks in final 12 months’s Cup closing, the one trophy that eluded Oklahoma Metropolis final season. However the Thunder say final 12 months’s expertise in Las Vegas would not add any additional incentive now.

“Everytime you get an opportunity to play for one thing and win, it is at all times the objective to win,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “It is at all times the identical feeling. So it will be phenomenal to win, that is for certain.”

Added ahead Jalen Williams: “If we’re going to apply ourselves to something, let’s do it to the perfect of your means and attempt to win. That is simply our nature. That is simply how we play basketball.”

The Thunder may have their most well-liked beginning lineup for the primary time all season within the Cup semifinal. Heart Isaiah Hartenstein has been cleared to play after lacking the final six video games as a consequence of a calf pressure.