In the nightcap of the opening day triple-header, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 factors and the Oklahoma City Thunder rode a scorching begin to a 116-104 victory over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Wembanyama, broadly tipped to finish Gilgeous-Alexander‘s two-year Most Valuable Player reign, made only one basket in 13 makes an attempt, an alley-oop dunk to finish the third quarter.
He made his presence felt with 13 rebounds and 6 blocked photographs and scored 12 factors largely thanks to 10 free throws.
But the Spurs, led by 24 factors from Stephon Castle, in the end had no reply for an OKC outfit “hungry” after their title defence led to a seven-game loss to San Antonio in final season’s Western Conference finals.
Tempers flare
“Obviously this is the team that eliminated us from achieving our goal,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “But for us, I think it was more like we’re just happy to be back. It’s a longer summer when you don’t win, and we felt that this summer.”
There was loads of rigidity between the younger groups tipped to duel for supremacy within the West for years to come.
Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox‘s was whistled for a flagrant foul after throwing Thunder centre Chet Holmgren to the court docket early within the second quarter, sparking a shoving match that resulted in a number of technical fouls.
The Spurs made a disciplined begin to the third quarter and twice obtained the deficit to seven within the second half just for the Thunder to draw back once more.
