Thunder vow offseason growth after Spurs end title defense
thunder-vow-offseason-growth-after-spurs-end-title-defense
The Oklahoma City Thunder were eliminated from the postseason Saturday, falling 111-103 to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. The loss denied Oklahoma City a chance to become the NBA’s first back-to-back champion in nearly 10 years.
Despite the abrupt exit, players and coaches stressed improvement over disappointment. “We just have to take it one day at a time,” league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters. “Try to get better this summer, be a better team than we were this season and last season, and try to get over the hump.”
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the decisive game with 35 points and nine assists, but the Thunder struggled to replicate the offensive balance that powered last year’s championship run. Injuries to key contributors Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell forced the guard to shoulder a heavier scoring load throughout the series.
Rookie center Chet Holmgren also labored against San Antonio’s interior defense, averaging 10.7 points after starring in the opening two rounds of the playoffs.
The Spurs continued their season-long success against Oklahoma City, having taken four of five regular-season meetings and eliminating the Thunder from both the in-season NBA Cup and the conference playoffs.
Head coach Mark Daigneault praised a roster that won 64 regular-season games, reiterating that the core remains capable of competing for championships. Players echoed that sentiment, vowing to return stronger when training camp opens this fall.
Source: Hoops Wire
