“Love these guys to death” – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes feelings clear on OKC teammates after WCF success 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander steered the OKC Thunder to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012 after dominating the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. After their win, “SGA” praised his teammates for making their Finals dream happen.

Talking during the presentation of the Western Conference championship trophy, Gilgeous-Alexander expressed his love for his teammates.

“Of course, I want to thank my teammates. Without them, I’m nothing. Clear as day. “I don’t have 124 points by myself. I love these guys to death,” Gilgeous-Alexander said via ESPN.

“This is a step in the right direction. We have a lot more work to do. We know that and that’s what we're focusing on,” he added.

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The Canadian international, who was named the Western Conference Finals MVP, put up 34 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the closeout game to carry OKC in a lopsided Game 5 win.

Aside from the Thunder superstar, the team also saw four other double-digit scorers in Game 5, led by Chet Holmgren, who finished with 22 points, and Jalen Williams with 19 points.

Holmgren and Williams were both drafted by the Thunder in 2022, adding firepower to the squad bannered by Gilgeous-Alexander, whom OKC picked up via trade in 2019 for Paul George.

Now, the reigning MVP will be playing in his first-ever NBA Finals against the winner of the East finals series between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander explains Thunder’s journey to NBA Finals

The Thunder has been dominant throughout the season, yet they faced some tough challenges in the playoffs. However, they remained intact to conquer the Western Conference.

In an interview on ESPN’s "SportsCenter", Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted the journey the Thunder faced throughout their run to reach their current position:

“It’s a lot of hard work to make it late this season. Lots of ups and downs. The emotions of the regular season, and the emotions of the playoffs. It’s important to be grateful. It’s important to enjoy the moment… but it is also very important to know that we have a lot more work to do. I think this group is the perfect group to tackle it mentally."

The Thunder will continue to have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals. If they win, the franchise will win its first NBA title since moving the franchise to Oklahoma City.

The championship series is set to start on June 5 in OKC.

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About the author

Rob Andrew Lo

Rob Andrew Lo is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over three years of experience in the field. Rob studied journalism at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines and his love for sports made this an obvious career to pursue.

Rob's favorite team is the Oklahoma City Thunder. He grew up watching Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and his admiration for them left not only a lasting impression but solidified his fandom.

When not working, Rob loves to play basketball. If he isn't watching or writing about basketball, he can probably be found watching pro wrestling.

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