OKC Thunder Take Care of Business, Now Enjoy a Well-Deserved Break
The Oklahoma City Thunder are enjoying some well-deserved rest after a dominant sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies, advancing to the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Head coach Mark Daigneault and star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflect on the team’s success and the luxury of extra time off.
The Thunder wasted no time, dispatching the No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies in just four games, with only two contests being close. Oklahoma City was the first team to finish their series, joined by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who also swept the Miami Heat on Monday.
This early exit from Round 1 mirrors the Thunder’s performance during the regular season, where they cruised to 68 wins, giving them plenty of opportunities for rest towards the end of the campaign. Now, they find themselves once again in a similar position, waiting for the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets series, which is tied 2-2 going into Game 5 on Tuesday.
“We’ll always take it,” said Coach Daigneault after the sweep. “We’re trying to win every game. You can’t control how the series unfolds. We put our best foot forward and let the outcomes be what they are. But it’s obviously good, physically, to rejuvenate. Guys are probably dealing with little things, and now they have the chance to heal and prepare for what’s next.”
This isn’t uncharted territory for the Thunder. Last year, after waiting for the play-in tournament to conclude, they also swept the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round before facing the Dallas Mavericks in the next stage.
“We’ve made progress from last year to this year in terms of our process,” Daigneault said. “We’ve done a good job of preparing for each series. We’ve played well in Game 1s, and we’ve maintained rhythm and sharpness despite the breaks. We’ll try to replicate that, but it’s easier said than done.”
The Thunder now face another extended break before Round 2 begins, likely starting between May 3 and May 6. This will give them roughly 7-10 days of rest before jumping back into playoff action.
“Honestly, it could work both ways for us,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “It could cause some rust or give us some freshness. Finding a balance will be key during this next break. But we always say that the time between games is where we win in the playoffs, and that’s how we’ll approach this next stretch.”
Despite the long break, rust didn’t seem to be an issue for Oklahoma City when they dominated the Grizzlies 131-80 in Game 1, following a similar layoff.
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