Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s message is simple: “We need to get better”.
The Thunder will take on the Memphis Grizzlies in Oklahoma City Wednesday night, just a week away from the start of the regular season.
OKC is coming off a lackluster performance against the Mavericks Monday. In that game, the Thunder shot a paltry 14.7% from three, making just five of their 34 attempts. Oklahoma City’s field goal percentage wasn’t much better; shooting just 32.6% from the field in a game they lost 107-70.
Both Chris Paul and Steven Adams were held out of Monday’s game to rest, but the team has to find a way to step-up when those two aren’t on the court.
Gilgeous-Alexander told Thunder reporter Nick Gallo, that Oklahoma City has to “attack the things they did badly” against Dallas. He specifically mentioned pace and communication are areas in which OKC needs to improve Wednesday against the Grizzlies.
“As a group, just getting back on defense. The little things. As the games go on, we’ll figure each other out more and more. It’ll be easier to play with each other without all the talking, but for now, we just need to be more vocal.”
Despite the final score Monday, SGA believes that there is a lot defensively that the Thunder can build on.
“We have a lot of potential defensively. A bunch of guys with length and athleticism. For us, it’s just going to be locking in the full 24 seconds”.
Oklahoma City will have their hands full defensively with Memphis rookie Ja Morant as well as Jaren Jackson, who averaged 13.8 points and 50.6% shooting in his first year with the Grizzlies last season.
To contain those two, Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder just need “to stay true to their identity”.
Oklahoma City and the Grizzlies will tip-off inside Chesapeake Energy Arena at 7 p.m.
