The Oklahoma City Thunder’s longest winning stretch of the season ended Saturday with a two-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs, but players and coaches described the setback as a chance to recalibrate rather than a cause for concern.
“Personally, I think it’s exciting. Losing is where you find growth and where you really get better,” guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game. The All-Star noted that the teams will meet again soon, calling the upcoming matchup “an immediate chance to respond.”
The Thunder entered the night without a defeat in more than five weeks and had their full starting lineup together for the first time since winning the championship in June. Oklahoma City built a 16-point cushion late in the second quarter before San Antonio rallied to hand the Thunder a rare loss.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 29 points but also committed a season-high five turnovers. He acknowledged the miscues, stressing that complacency cannot seep in. “We can’t be spoiled,” he said. “If you don’t do the necessary things to win, you probably won’t win, no matter what your record looks like.”
The defeat, players agreed, stung—but only underscored the importance of the response to come.
Source: Hoops Wire
