OKLAHOMA CITY — A sick, exhausted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander politely answered questions after a 40-point sport that led his Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder previous the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday evening.

He was listed as questionable on the pregame harm report with an sickness. A game-time choice deemed him out there, and the reigning league MVP made 12 of 19 subject targets and 15 of 17 free throws in a 113-105 victory within the NBA Cup.

Gilgeous-Alexader spent himself serving to the Thunder win their tenth straight and enhance to 18-1. He wore a heavy grey quarter-zip sweatshirt and a Burberry scarf to the postgame interview desk. He was considerate, however didn’t fairly have his regular power.

“Yeah, I really feel good,” he stated. “I felt ok to play. I used to be slightly extra drained on the market than regular, however I did sufficient to get the job achieved tonight. I felt ok to play, so I performed.”

He received off to a sluggish begin, however bounced again to attain 13 factors in seven minutes within the second quarter.

“I believed he gave us an enormous offensive elevate,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated. “I believed he learn the sport rather well tonight offensively. He gave us an enormous offensive elevate within the second quarter. We simply had a very laborious time offensively there and he form of carried us for slightly stretch there to shut the half and allowed us to open a pleasant lead.”

Gilgeous-Alexander made only one subject objective within the fourth quarter however made 9 of 10 free throws. He wanted to return by way of as a result of Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards scored 14 of his 31 factors within the remaining 7:34 to make the sport tight.

Gilgeous-Alexander needed to be there for his teammates, particularly as a result of it was an NBA Cup sport. The Thunder improved to 4-0 in West Group A and can spherical out group play Friday at house towards Phoenix.

“Video games imply slightly bit extra,” he stated. “You possibly can actually earn cash by successful these seven video games, so there’s slightly little bit of incentive behind it, slightly bit extra than simply waking up and taking part in for certain.”

The Thunder beat Minnesota 4-1 within the Western Convention Finals final season, and the Timberwolves gave them one in all their hardest video games this season Wednesday. Sick or not, Gilgeous-Alexander embraces these sorts of challenges.

“It’s the way you develop, how we develop as a group,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “Enjoying towards the very best and getting their greatest solely helps us see the place we’re on a nightly foundation. We’ve achieved fairly good thus far.”

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