The Oklahoma City Thunder’s early-season surge took a hit Saturday night, ending the club’s bid to eclipse the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors’ historic 25-game start. Oklahoma City entered the game tied with that 73-win team at 24-1 but slipped to 24-2 after the defeat.
Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander downplayed the pursuit of the 73-9 benchmark. “Seventy-three and nine? What are we, 24-2? My goal is to get better,” he told reporters, adding that long-range records lose value if daily habits falter. “If we stack nights like we did tonight, we won’t even come close to it.”
Knicks
Guerschon Yabusele’s first season in New York has not matched expectations after he signed a two-year, $11.25 million contract over the summer. The 29-year-old forward is averaging 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in a sharply reduced role, with more than half of his attempts coming from three-point range.
Speaking in French to AFP and Basket USA before Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal, Yabusele admitted the limited minutes have been “very difficult.” He said he remains focused on staying prepared and praised the Knicks’ locker room for its support: “I try to be ready whenever my name is called.”
Spurs
The Austin Spurs have obtained the G League rights to center Christian Koloko, the affiliate announced. Selected 33rd overall by Toronto in the 2022 draft, Koloko missed the entire 2023-24 NBA season because of a blood-clot issue but was medically cleared by the league’s fitness-to-play panel earlier this fall.
Koloko, who appeared in 97 NBA games with averages of 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds, spent last season on a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers before being waived in November. Despite moving to Austin, he remains an unrestricted NBA free agent and can sign with any NBA club.
Source: Hoops Wire
