Mussatto: Rise of Thunder U 2.0 'is not a surprise' to Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
That deafening noise in Oklahoma City? The Warriors have heard it before. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have silenced it many a time. Draymond Green has provoked it. Steve Kerr has coached through it.
But that roar, despite reverberating through its home gym, was new to this Thunder squad. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams weren’t around for those epic OKC-Golden State clashes in the mid-2010s, but a fanbase that had gone dormant erupted again Friday night.
The Thunder, which topped the Warriors 138-136 in overtime at Paycom Center, has been playing big-time basketball all season. Now they know what big-time basketball in Oklahoma City sounds like.
“It’s great to be able to play for a fanbase that cares as much as we do,” Holmgren said.
The Warriors’ longtimers, having played in that environment against a past Thunder generation, had a unique perspective when assessing this new version of OKC.
“They have a certain style, and it’s obviously centered around Shai and the way that he’s playing,” Curry said. “He can control the tempo, he gets whatever shot he wants …”
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Gilgeous-Alexander had 38 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals.
“They’ve got guys that are comfortable with the ball in their hands,” Curry continued, “whether it’s playmaking or finishing. They give you a lot of different looks and problems of who to key in on because if you send a lot of attention to Shai, somebody else can create. That’s their identity, and it works … It’s worked a lot this year.”
Green was even more effusive in his praise. Thunder fans have no greater enemy than Green, but the Thunder’s young core has no bigger proponent.
“They’ve got a great head of the snake in Shai,” Green said. “First team All-NBA last year for a reason. Chet will possibly be a generational player, so you look at adding him to the lineup, and then Jalen Williams, guard Jalen Williams, is one of the most impressive players with the ball in the NBA.
Williams had 28 points on 12-of-15 shooting Friday.
“He can shoot the ball from three, midrange, get to the rim,” Green said. “He’s 6-8, he’s got size, he’s got strength, he can pass the ball. And so they present their challenges.”
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Green gave Williams a couple of extra inches, but the rest of what he said is hard to argue.
Like the Magic of the East, the Thunder is the darling of the West.
“This is not a surprise to me at all,” Kerr said. “We’ve seen this coming the last year or so.
But did Kerr really see this coming? That two weeks before Christmas, only the Celtics would have a better net rating than the Thunder?
Of OKC’s 14 wins (14-7), three have come against Golden State. The Thunder won the season series three games to one — apologies if that triggers bad memories, Thunder fans.
“Sam (Presti) has drafted incredibly well, and nailed picks, and Mark (Daigneault) is a great coach,” Kerr said. “You’ve got a guy in Shai who’s impossible to guard and they’ve really built a good roster around him.
“They’re a hell of a team.”
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
Thunder vs. Jazz
TIPOFF: 7 p.m. Monday at Paycom Center (Bally Sports Oklahoma)
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Thunder U 2.0 has 'great head of the snake in Shai' Gilgeous-Alexander
