Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reveals the Thunder were rusty in Game 1 win against the Lakers
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reveals the Thunder were rusty in Game 1 win against the Lakers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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Entering the 2026 Playoffs, everyone knew that the Oklahoma City Thunder were the favorites to win the championship. They have lived up to those expectations because they have not lost a game after their first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns, and this Game 1 win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
As the Thunder's leader and best player, Gilgeous-Alexander knows Game 1 was not their best performance. He admits they were a bit rusty after a long break, but that is what makes them scarier to the rest of the league.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admits the Thunder were rusty in Game 1
The Thunder are the best team in the league because they have elite depth. Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren headline the team, but they have elite role players throughout the roster.
They even have Jalen Williams, who is their third star, but he is out injured at the moment. They have a deep rotation, elite coaching, and championship experience. That combination makes them such a tough matchup for anyone.
MORE: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander loves the rest the Thunder got after sweeping the Suns
The Thunder won Game 1 108-90, a dominant performance. However, it seems SGA and the rest of OKC's team are not satisfied because he spoke about how the Thunder were still rusty after a long layoff.
"They stuck with it. We were a little choppy, a little rusty tonight offensively. We stuck with it, made plays. They are obviously sending a lot of bodies at me; those guys stepped up to the plate confidently, that's all you could ask for," Gilgeous-Alexander said to Zora Stephenson after Game 1.
SGA is not satisfied with the performance, as he thinks there is a lot to clean up for Game 2. That kind of statement after a dominant victory shows the Thunder's quality, as they are ready to keep improving to further dominate the Playoffs.
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