25-26 Thunder Tie Up Western Conference Finals at One Game Apiece
After the New York Knicks made franchise history on Tuesday night during Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs followed up with Game Two of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night. The first matchup between the Spurs and Thunder was epic, with the game going into double overtime, with San Antonio ultimately coming out on top 122-115 as Victor Wembanyama finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds. Oklahoma City’s tone changed dramatically in Game Two as they had their two centers, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, as well as wings such as Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort, switch off defensively, giving Wembanyama issues throughout the whole 48 minutes. The Thunder would take a 122-113 win to tie the series up at one game apiece as the series heads to San Antonio.
Two-Time MVP Throws His Teammate Under the Bus
The reigning and two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was interviewed after the Game Two win. When asked what kind of impact Hartenstein had defensively, the 27-year-old responded: “I’m not sure if it was good, to be honest.” The reporter asked Gilgeous-Alexander why he thought that way, yet the two-time MVP recanted, "It was alright. It was good." For a player who’s known to uplift his teammates, this certainly did not sound like it at all. When also interviewed after the game, Caruso praised Hartenstein’s hard work defending Wembanyama. If the Thunder want to make it back to the NBA Finals, the leader of the team cannot talk badly about his teammates via a postgame interview. Oklahoma City saw a ton of camaraderie winning the NBA Finals last season, but the same cannot be said now with Gilgeous-Alexander throwing his teammates under the bus.
Castle’s Turnover Problem
In the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, Stephon Castle has recorded 20 turnovers. 11 in Game One and nine in Game Two. While he’s still a sophomore guard, the Spurs cannot afford these costly mistakes during an important playoff run. He had 11 of San Antonio’s 21 turnovers in Game One, while having nine of the Spurs 21 turnovers in Game Two. Heading back to San Antonio for Games Three and Four, Castle must do a better job protecting the ball, making smarter passes, and not playing so loosely with the basketball in his hands. Wembanyama needs an effective and efficient second scorer and playmaker. If the 21-year-old can cut down on the turnovers, this gives San Antonio a better chance to win game after game and dethrone the Thunder.
