Throughout the NBA season, the Thunder have been one of, if not the, favorites to win the NBA Finals this year. This was only heightened when they claimed the number one seed in the West and the overall number one seed in the NBA. After their first-round series sweep over the Grizzlies, nothing changed in thinking this was still the team to beat in the West. However, after Game 1 against the Nuggets, everything surrounding this Thunder team changed.
The narrative of this team is too young, they are too inexperienced, and they are still not ready, has started popping up again. The Thunder responded with a championship-level maturity in Game 2 and showed why they are ready this year. Let’s dive into how the Thunder showed a level of maturity they didn’t have last year and why this is encouraging moving forward.
The Thunder Showed Great Maturity in Game 2
Chet and Jalen Responded in Game 2
After Game 1, the question of whether Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are ready to take the next step reappeared. After they both had an impressive first-round series against the Grizzlies, their Game 1 against the Nuggets, they resorted back to what they did last year against the Mavericks. For the Thunder to win this series and the NBA Finals, Holmgren and Williams had to be better and needed to help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In Game 2, they responded, unlike last year when they had no answers against the Mavericks.
Williams scored 17 points with better efficiency, going 6-11 from the field. In addition, he set up his teammates better and added seven assists. Holmgren added 15 points, shooting 2-3 from the three-point line, and grabbed 11 rebounds. Even though these numbers are still low for their averages this season, it was the efficiency they needed to show, and they did just that. This Thunder team might be young, but it has shown a great level of maturity that a championship team needs.
Shai and Caruso’s Leadership Qualities Can’t Go Unnoticed
In Game 1, the Thunder had control throughout most of the game. However, they weren’t able to close quarters well, and the Nuggets kept inching closer and closer to them. Then in the fourth quarter, they made the right plays, and their championship experience showed up as the Thunder’s inexperienced players collapsed in the fourth. After that collapse, it would have been easy for the Thunder to come into Game 2 a little sluggish and show that they weren’t ready.
However, the leadership from Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso was significant heading into Game 2. Shai set the tone early with his playmaking ability, helping his teammates settle into the game, and was super efficient when he scored. He ended the game with 34 points and added eight assists while only missing two shots. In addition, he broke the NBA record with the highest plus-minus in a game with +51. Caruso was crucial in helping this team go through the ups and downs of a series, as he knows the mindset you need and what it takes to win a championship at this level. Finally, credit should go to Mark Daigneault for keeping this team steady, whether they win or lose, and having that 0-0 mindset every game.
The Difference Between This Year and Last Year
Last year, against the Mavericks, the Thunder had no response whenever they suffered a loss in that series. They were able to win Game 1, but then they lost Game 2. After that, the Thunder would have lost Game 3 and Game 4 if it wasn’t for a late comeback in Game 4 that tied the series 2-2. Once that happened, the Thunder had all the momentum back and were back home for Game 5, and ended up losing that game and Game 6 to get eliminated. Their inexperience showed up and proved they weren’t ready last year.
This year, the Thunder once again had all the pieces you need to win a championship. The only question was, are they still too inexperienced to do so? Game 2 proved that this team is different from last year’s team by showing the resilience and maturity you need in a series and not letting a loss create a losing streak in a series. It is only one game, and they still need to prove it consistently; however, the signs are there that they are ready this year. The only question is, will it be this year or next year that they make their finals run?
The Last Word
After the Thunder’s Game 1 collapsed, which showed their inexperience, they responded in Game 2 with a championship level of maturity and tied the series 1-1. The Thunder still need to win on the road to win this series since they dropped one on at home, and this series is still far from over. The Nuggets have a championship and will respond in Games 3 and 4 at home and play much better. However, Thunder fans should feel more optimistic this year against the Nuggets than they did last year against the Mavericks. They proved they have what it takes to take that next step, now they just have to go out there and prove it consistently.
Featured image: © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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