With a commanding 128-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the Oklahoma City Thunder joined the ranks of four teams to open the 2024-25 NBA season with a perfect 3-0 record. Despite the growing excitement surrounding the Thunder, point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a grounded message for fans and analysts alike.
As a leading face of the Thunder’s impressive early run, Gilgeous-Alexander has helped drive wins over the Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, and now the Hawks, fueling heightened expectations for the team’s potential this season. When asked about the buzz, Gilgeous-Alexander offered a candid response.
“We don’t care. When we sucked, there was talk about us sucking, and we didn’t care. We got here because we didn’t care. So, we’re going to continue to not care and focus on us getting better every day,” SGA stated in the post-game press conference.
Gilgeous-Alexander emphasized the team’s commitment to internal growth, using external expectations as motivation to stay focused on their own development: “As long as we do that, eventually, we’ll get to where we want to go. We’ve made strides because we’ve done that. So, just sticking to the program is what we’re focused on.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder blocks the attempted shot of Vit Krejci #27 of the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Paycom Center on October 27, 2024 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Thunder star has showcased exceptional form in this opening stretch, averaging 28.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 3 steals per game. Against the Hawks, he nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 35 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks over 36 minutes.
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Thunder rank high in NBA Power Rankings
Expectations are mounting around the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have joined the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers as one of the NBA’s undefeated teams. In the league’s first Power Rankings of the 2024-25 season, the Thunder hold an impressive position.
The Thunder sit at No. 2 in the rankings, boasting a league-best defensive rating of 90.8. Beyond Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s leadership, Chet Holmgren has been a standout, averaging 23.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks per game, further solidifying OKC’s early-season dominance.
The rankings include other undefeated teams, with the Celtics in first, the Lakers in third, the Cavaliers in fourth, and the New York Knicks rounding out the top five. Notably, the Cavaliers and Knicks will go head-to-head on Monday, which could shift the rankings in the coming week.
