Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says Thunder need NBA wins mark

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

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

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

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

Spurs ahead Harrison Barnes, a starter on the record-setting Warriors, mentioned the Thunder are “most likely on monitor” to interrupt that report. He famous, nonetheless, that the pursuit of the earlier report 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 instructed ESPN. “Clearly, you take care of all sorts of narratives going into the season and issues like that. However every part’s totally different. It was quite a bit.”

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 resembling focusing an excessive amount of on future potentialities.

“We try to be a greater model of ourselves each evening 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 chance. That is form 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 successful streak.

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

“Wow, that is much more video games to win,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “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 aim.”

The NBA Cup semifinals depend within the regular-season standings — and successful streaks — however the championship sport doesn’t.

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

“Everytime you get an opportunity to play for one thing and win, it is at all times the aim to win,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “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 capacity and attempt to win. That is simply our nature. That is simply how we play basketball.”

The Thunder can have their most popular 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 result of a calf pressure.