00:00Welcome to American Express NBA Tip-Off. Our cover is presented by TIA.
00:05It feels like Game 8 of the Western Conference Finals at Frostbank Center in San Antonio.
00:11With a two-time reigning MVP, Shea Gilgis-Alexander and the Thunder looking for revenge
00:16against the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, Victor Wembenyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
00:25And Wembenyama wins it.
00:28Dylan Hartburn, new to the starting lineup. Last season, just four starts in his rookie campaign,
00:33but he was dynamic in the playoffs, has earned that starting role in this three-guard lineup
00:38with Castle and Fox. Wembenyama's first touch. Spray it into the corner. It's Vassell.
00:44It's gone. A stripper.
00:48Here's Shed Holmberg, only two field goal attempts in Game 7.
00:51Trying to get his first one, believes it. It's Hartenstein with the deuce.
00:54And I like that right there.
00:55With Wembeny late to recover. It's a five-on-four.
00:57Wallace, Gilgis-Alexander, pump, step back. Gilgis-Alexander is pure.
01:03It's Gilgis-Alexander.
01:05Bend-off, jumper, in and out.
01:09Quick pace, up ahead.
01:11Look out for Castle!
01:13He finishes through the contact.
01:16Out there with SGA, Wallace, Hartenstein-Hongren, and Jalen Williams.
01:21Harper driving, kick. Champenny, good luck.
01:23For three!
01:24Him as a coach, to just remember, hey, this kid's 20 years old.
01:28He's gonna have highs, he's gonna have lows.
01:30SGA creates space and knocks down the chain.
01:33That is his body coming into the season.
01:35Down about 15 pounds from last year, but feels his strength has remained the same.
01:39Oh, what a take and guess!
01:41It's Harper to kick.
01:43Gilgis-Alexander in transition.
01:45Attack on Champenny.
01:46Spray it out.
01:47A lot of space for McCain, and he puts it down.
01:50The lead is up to eight.
01:52Fox is back on the floor.
01:54And you see the spin and score.
01:57Plus one.
01:58Gilgis-Alexander on the turnover.
02:00Johnson.
02:02No screen from Cornette.
02:03Breaks down Caruso.
02:04Lob it.
02:05And Cornette is corn on the lob!
02:07Timeout, Oklahoma City!
02:11McCain's got a pep on his step now.
02:13And Penny cuts him off.
02:14Off the screen.
02:16Caruso will fire.
02:17And hit!
02:19Wingspan.
02:20Second-year man out of Arizona.
02:23Gilgis-Alexander, the two-time MVP, putting the moves on.
02:26It's Caruso.
02:27It's a three!
02:28Caruso was 20 of 40 from three in the seven-game series.
02:33Open look.
02:34Johnson.
02:35Take the response!
02:36With his length.
02:38Meanwhile, no Tobias Harris, who is the big off-season acquisition for San Antonio.
02:42Web and Yama erases one at the rim.
02:45Their floor without Williams was certainly high, but their ceiling is so much higher with J-Dub back on the
02:50floor.
02:51Because of how he can put everybody else in their roles.
02:54J-Will's pretty good, too, as he drills.
02:58Another second-chance opportunity for OKC.
03:01And another foul is going to be called against San Antonio.
03:03It's Darren Fox.
03:04Oh, look out!
03:05J-Will gets into it!
03:06And now Wembenyama's in his face!
03:08They're going to have to separate these two!
03:10Remember, Wembenyama, who delivered that elbow to Nasrin in the playoffs, it was a flagrant two.
03:14He's got to be careful with that energy and the emotion.
03:18And it's Kenridge Williams who claps back after the fact as they've separated both of these teams.
03:25And we said it, Noah, it's personal in this.
03:28Presence for somebody like Jalen Williams on full display there.
03:31Now Holmgren back down, kick out, it's Kenridge Williams.
03:35It's a three!
03:36San Antonio still looking for its first field goal in the second quarter.
03:41Harper, find the open man.
03:42Harrison Barnes, hits a three!
03:44And Harper...
03:46Five minutes gone here in the second.
03:49OKC is led by as many as 16.
03:51Holmgren, hit it, blocked!
03:53Yes, Hill!
03:54Wembenyama from behind!
03:58Holmgren, shovel, kick.
04:01Williams, banks home a three.
04:03And he needed that, he had missed it.
04:07Gilgis Alexander, he'll fend off.
04:10Spin, and score!
04:12That is Silky!
04:14And that was great.
04:15And San Antonio make a little run before the break.
04:18That won't help.
04:19The shooting lows continue.
04:21Wallace off to the races.
04:22McCain, quick trigger.
04:24Another three!
04:25They are splashing them home.
04:27Second quarter.
04:30Spurs have missed their last eight field goal attempts.
04:33Thunder of not!
04:35Shea Gilgis Alexander is pure!
04:37This second quarter, it's been textbook.
04:4122-3, run for 22-5, 6.
04:44That blue ha-ha, and Champagny finally stops the bleeding.
04:49Trailer, Champagny, under two to play.
04:52And Champagny comes up short, rebound Harper.
04:54And he goes back strong!
04:57What a-
04:58Keep the momentum on their side.
05:00Six to shoot now for SGA.
05:01Working against Harper.
05:03The shake, the bake.
05:05Gilgis Alexander, the bump.
05:06How did he do it?
05:07A chance for three!
05:10With him, all the things people say about him.
05:12The basketball stuff beyond the basketball stuff.
05:15Everything's been appropriate.
05:16Nice five!
05:17Holmgren attacks the rack.
05:19That's it.
05:19Fires, and the rebound plucked down by Harper.
05:23Gets it right back from Castle.
05:25And Harper, a full house, team and a win for Tim.
05:28Be with a recovery.
05:30Let's start here to the third.
05:31For San Antonio.
05:32Fox looking to add to it.
05:34Goes right at Hortenstein.
05:36Timeout!
05:36They've been through it before.
05:38So the hunger, the confidence, the execution is all improved moving forward.
05:42In big moments like this against big-time teams like this,
05:45Castle three is gone!
05:48Movement coming into this season.
05:50Holmgren with the attempt.
05:51Can't finish.
05:52Williams the rebound.
05:53Gilgis Alexander open.
05:55And Cans the triple!
05:56Didn't take the three.
05:58Reset.
05:59Vassell.
06:00Pump.
06:00Drive.
06:01Castle.
06:02Reload.
06:03Bumzai!
06:04And he needed to hit there.
06:06Champagny and Wimbanyama.
06:08Giving a lot of space to Castle on the outside.
06:11He'll oblige.
06:12He'll hit again!
06:14It's Williams.
06:15Missed the three.
06:16Holmgren had it out of his hands.
06:18Champagny with a quick poke away.
06:20Look out.
06:21Castle in the run.
06:22He's got it to go!
06:23Lost it!
06:24Incredible what he has done over the last few years.
06:28So Oklahoma City keeping a little bit of an arm's distance.
06:31But Kelly Johnson threw the contact with a chance for three.
06:35Alexander.
06:36A couple of crosses.
06:38Trying to shake him.
06:39SGA got him in the air.
06:40The spin.
06:41The flow.
06:42That's ridiculous.
06:43SGA with a...
06:46Fox lob it up.
06:47In traffic!
06:48Mora just took it away!
06:51Spain versus France at the rim!
06:53And the Spanier comes away with a win!
06:56And then Mora on the other end!
06:59Lillie Bede active on the offensive end here in this third.
07:03Fend off.
07:04Sidestep.
07:04Gilchus Alexander is leaving.
07:06Rightfully so.
07:07But Bissell so important to this squad.
07:10Gilchus Alexander.
07:11Don't want to leave him open.
07:13That's why Jared McCain...
07:14What's the miss?
07:17Fox on the run.
07:18The cross.
07:19He lost Mitchell.
07:20And Fox up and under the spin at home.
07:23Thunder will have a three and a half second different shot clock in game plot.
07:27Gilchus Alexander drives.
07:28Cross.
07:29Step back two.
07:30It's good!
07:31It pulls the foul!
07:33It's still SGA's world!
07:35Excellent job of getting themselves back in this ballgame.
07:38Three seconds left.
07:39Fox working on Holmgren with two seconds left.
07:42Lived it up and slam it home!
07:43London Yama!
07:44Clear out space for that easy two.
07:46You can see he's still working through it on the defense.
07:49To the van.
07:49Williams.
07:50Tough one goes!
07:52Oh man!
07:53And the Thunder has not had success isolating one-on-one against Victor Wimbayama.
07:58Johnson right to the rack for two!
08:01Defensively for the Spurs.
08:03They left McCain.
08:06And he buries the three!
08:08Man, that's the challenge, Noah.
08:09In a zone, you have to be paranoid.
08:11Huge games in the Conference Finals.
08:13And again, it's burning him.
08:14There was the Steelers leader from last year in the NBA.
08:17It's the swipe and slam for Kason Wallace.
08:21Off the screen, SGA.
08:23And a block, Champagne!
08:25Saved in the SGA's hands.
08:27Wallace the three.
08:29Too strong.
08:29Backside rebound.
08:31And SGA, on the third chance, puts one down, Mitch Johnson.
08:38Harper looking to break down SGA.
08:41And he does.
08:43That is a tough finish.
08:44And Harper still clearly is not 100%.
08:46But he's going to stay out there, trying to recover here.
08:50Kessel, for three!
08:52And they have cheese on the ninth.
08:55Ties his career high from the outside.
08:57Bounce it.
08:58McCain's response over Wemby rattles home!
09:01To close the door on a season-opening win.
09:04Gildas Alexander will pull and hit!
09:09SGA stays in the zone!
09:122.20 to play.
09:15San Antonio's going to need stops and scores basically the rest of the way.
09:19And that won't do it!
09:20Isaiah Hardenstein with his patented push!
09:23Our performer will get back to form.
09:26Box off the screen.
09:27Bounce outside.
09:28Kassels three.
09:29It's good.
09:30A new career high from the outside.
09:32Performance was 32 points.
09:34Five seconds left.
09:36The Lesbio on the drive.
09:37And he spins it home.
09:39He's in the box score in the NBA.
09:43142 days.
09:45The Oklahoma City Thunder sat and stewed.
09:48I hope you keep you in theinder.
09:48I do try to keep you fast.
