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[Saba Sports News] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added more hardware to his growing collection Wednesday night — but he made it clear that the job isn’t done.
The Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the NBA Finals with a dominant 124-94 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. Gilgeous-Alexander once again led the charge, posting 34 points on 14-of-25 shooting along with seven rebounds and eight assists.
After the game, the Thunder accepted the Western Conference championship trophy, and Gilgeous-Alexander was interviewed courtside by ESPN’s Lisa Salters. The MVP made sure to keep the focus forward.
“This is a step in the right direction, but we have a lot more work to do,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We know that, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
He then punctuated the moment with a six-word message to Thunder fans and teammates alike:
“Let’s buckle up and get ready.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was also unanimously named Western Conference Finals MVP, receiving all nine media votes. The honor adds to an already stellar season in which the 26-year-old was also named league MVP after averaging a league-leading 32.7 points per game and guiding OKC to 68 regular-season wins.
Despite his accolades, Gilgeous-Alexander remains focused and grounded — a mindset that’s fueling the Thunder’s first Finals appearance since 2012. They now await the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks, with Game 1 of the Finals set for June 5.