Oklahoma City entered the first round against Memphis Grizzleez with a comfortable 2–0 lead in Thursday’s Game 3 of the Western Conference Series.
Two Thunder victories have been comfortably 51 and 19 points.
And comfortably in Oklahoma City, MVP candidate Shai Gilgas-Alexander has won both sports easily despite a demonstration.
When the series turns into a mmphis for games 3 and 4, Gilgus-Alexander will try to re-achieve the form that easily took Thunder to the best record of the Western Conference.
In the series opener, 131-80 OKC win-Gilgus-Alexander scored 15 points on 4 -13 shoots. In Game 2, Alexander scored 27 points, but made only 10 shots out of 29. It consisted of only three of his 10 3-point efforts.
It has been disappointing for Gilgas-Alexander, but he is grateful that the talent, depth and defensive skills of the thunder created for their struggles.
“I think I think I usually make, just remembering them, it’s part of basketball,” he said. “Because my team is really good, we have won two games with a good difference. They had my back in the last two nights.”
In Game 1, Aaron Vignins had 21 points and Jalan Williams scored 20 runs, while Chet Holmagren contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. In Game 2, Williams had 24 points and Holmagren added 20 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.
Oklahoma City has thanked his trademark suffocating. Thunder placed memphis for 34 percent shooting in the opener and forced 24 turnover. In Game 2, it was more of the same. Thunder limited Memphis to 17 first quarter points and forced Grizlies to remember its first 10 shots.
And this was the defense, and aggressive rebounding, which allowed Thunder to withstand a strong third quarter by Grizzleez. Oklahoma City Game 2 ended with 16 aggressive rebellion.
Thunder coach Mark Dagnelt said, “We rescued with it.” “We still stopped despite a great shooting not half and not having very easy goods. Our firmness in the third quarter, just to grind through that quarter and (get aggressive rebounds). We only created the second half crime to win.”
Memphis interim coach Tuomas Islo saw better performance from his team, but not able to overcome top seeded thunder. Memphis never led to game 2.
“Not too much has changed among the games,” IISALO said. “They controlled aggressive boards and were able to generate turnover from us, meaning that it is very difficult to run.
“They get live-ball turnover, which is the situation that produces the most expected points.”
An encouraging sign for Grizzle’s was the better game of Forward Jaren Jackson Jr., which ended with 26 points in 10 -17 shoots in Game 2. Jackson scored four points on 2 -13 shooting in Game 1.
“I think I was just more aggressive,” Jackson said. “I just read the defense made in sports 1 differently. I did not just allow myself to double or triple.”
Grizzle’s star guard J Mirent supported Jackson with 23 points and helped Grizlies to trim a 18 -digit halftime deficit in single points in the third quarter.
“I think we had a slight flow and more ball movement,” Mornt said about the third quarter. “Nearby were on time and on the target. People were stepping into it with some rhythm and started dropping the shots down.”
-Bield level media
