The shots were only a few feet apart, but the distance traveled was much further.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s sidestep 3-pointer over Draymond Green that served as the dagger in OKC’s 104-97 home win over Golden State on Saturday was something we’ve seen before. It was similar to a game-winning shot he hit against the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 18, 2021.
Gilgeous-Alexander used the same move from the same spot inside the same arena, and yet a lot is different now.
Back in 2021, that was Gilgeous-Alexander’s first game winner. A highlight in the career of a then-fourth-year guard who hadn’t yet cemented himself as a star. And it also came during a season in which OKC only went 24-58 (.293), marking its lowest win percentage in franchise history.
Nowadays, Gilgeous-Alexander is a regular-season and Finals MVP, and OKC has also come a long way. His latest sidestep shot helped the reigning champion Thunder improve to 50-15, marking its third straight 50-win regular season.
“Over the years, I’ve tried to kind of work on things and add to that bag that I can go to, no matter where I’m on the floor and no matter which way they’re forcing me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of his growth. “I stepped into it with confidence and shot it. Whether I made it or missed it, I was going to shoot it the same way. Luckily, this time it went in.”
The Paycom Center crowd erupted when Gilgeous-Alexander’s dagger shot went in on Saturday, and yet his reaction was muted. He didn’t even crack a smile, let alone open his mouth, as he returned to the bench for a timeout.
Part of that was because 42.2 seconds still remained on the clock, although most of it was because Gilgeous-Alexander has delivered down the stretch time and time again. It’s nothing new for a player who’s averaging a league-best 6.3 clutch points per game.
But it was all new to Gilgeous-Alexander back in 2021, and he celebrated his buzzer-beating bucket with a full-on dance at halfcourt. One that he’d been saving for three seasons after watching Lamar Odom do the same dance during an early 2000s New York streetball game.
Gilgeous-Alexander told Darius Bazley, his teammate at the time, back in 2019 that he’d break out that celebration whenever he hit his first game winner. And he stayed true to his word, dancing across the Paycom Center floor before Kenrich Williams wrapped his arms around him in excitement.
“He had like a celebration dance,” a smiling Williams said Saturday. “That’s what I remember. But ever since I got here, he’s always wanted the ball in those moments. That’s when your best players show up, is in clutch moments, and he’s always been that guy.”
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder have grown up fast since 2021, but with that came growing pains.
Williams remembers losing to Memphis by 73 points during that 2021-22 season, which still stands as the largest loss in NBA history. He remembers tying a franchise record for the longest losing streak (14 games) in 2020-21. He remembers the early offseasons while other teams competed for a championship.
But OKC now finds itself on the other end of blowouts, posting the best average point differential in NBA history last season (12.9). It also won 16 straight games earlier this season, which is a franchise record. It’s the betting favorite to win a second straight title.
And yet some things don’t change, like the appreciation OKC’s players have for the journey. No matter how far they’ve come.
“I’m just very grateful to be a part of this team and a part of this organization,” Williams said. “There are some truly great people in this organization who help us achieve those goals, and I’m not just talking about the players. I’m talking about the strength staff, the training staff and the chefs. Everybody helps us achieve those goals that we want. For me, it happened so fast. You go from losing a lot of games in a row to now winning 50-plus games a year.
“You’ve definitely got to take a step back and be appreciative of where you’re at and the guys that you’re with.”
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder continues growth with third straight 50-win season