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Given a day to reflect on how a potential repeat NBA championship got away, league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was still feeling the pain of a Game 7 loss.
His top-seeded Oklahoma City Thundersuffered a stunning 111-103 defeat at home in the Western Conference finals as the San Antonio Spurs advanced to face the New York Knicks for the title.
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“I failed at my goal,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I didn’t achieve what I wanted to achieve. But I learn the most about myself and make the greatest amount of increases in my career when I fail and don’t get what I want. I look at this no different.”
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points in the season-ending defeat, but the Spurs’ defense on him was a key factor in his reduced efficiency in the series. His scoring average and shooting percentages in the series were considerably lower than they were in the regular season, when he won his second consecutive MVP award.
The Thunder, however, weren’t completely at full strength during the series. Second-leading scorer Jalen Williams reinjured his hamstring in Game 2 and was limited to just 54 minutes the entire series. And semifinal round star Ajay Mitchell suffered a calf strain in Game 3 that ended his season.
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New York Knicks fans take to the streets to celebrate reaching NBA Finals
New York Knicks fans celebrate winning the Eastern Conference championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks last reached the NBA Finals in 1999, falling to the San Antonio Spurs, and are seeking their first championship since defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in 1973.
(David Dee Delgado, Getty Images)
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New York Knicks fans take to the streets to celebrate reaching NBA Finals
New York Knicks fans celebrate winning the Eastern Conference championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks last reached the NBA Finals in 1999, falling to the San Antonio Spurs, and are seeking their first championship since defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in 1973.
(David Dee Delgado, Getty Images)
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New York Knicks fans take to the streets to celebrate reaching NBA Finals
Knicks fans celebrate winning the Eastern Conference…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/shai-gilgeous-alexander-looks-inward-121858258.html
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Publish date : 2026-06-01 12:18:00
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