Friday Bolts: One. More. Game.
![Friday Bolts: One. More. Game.](/content/images/size/w960/2023/04/BOLTS-1.png)
After hitting .500 at 36-36, the play-in seemed likely with sights set on the playoffs. In the nine games since then, the Oklahoma City Thunder has gone just 3-6, dropping to 10th in the Western Conference. As a result, unless the Dallas Mavericks lose one of its last two games (Chicago, San Antonio), OKC will need a win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night to capture the last play-in spot.
Needless to say, after Chet Holmgren was sidelined for the season with a lisfranc injury, most predictions had the Thunder winning somewhere around 24-25 games. After last night's must-have win over the Utah Jazz, OKC has 39 wins. So, to say the team has overachieved might be a huge understatement.
The Thunder would not be here without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing at an All-NBA level. But how did SGA get to where he is?
![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2023/03/18/NOKL/7fdd69f7-9abf-49ce-b90c-643b6e1f8cc3-USATSI_20248862.jpg?auto=webp&crop=4479,2520,x0,y250&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Royce Young of the Oklahoma City Thunder sat down and talked with Shai about his journey to stardom.
![](https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/339703939_145967644825759_5777309132201344503_n.jpg?stp=c216.0.648.648a_dst-jpg_s640x640&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=noJ0KJImj3QAX8LYL-F&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AfCPRDndf8uw4WVBbHzUjz3GYnw962HMFTvCe1Ky_I-nFg&oe=64350C1C)
Cliff Brunt (AP) profiles SGA and how he has been the catalyst to the team's surprising ascent.
![](https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/db4c86588d8f4e1f931973e4f34d35d4/3000.webp)
In the 2009-10 season, a young, upstart Thunder squad surpassed expectations and nabbed the last playoff spot. The vibes from 09-10 are being felt again in OKC, with this season looking like the end of a rebuild and the beginning of a something special writes Seerat Sohi (The Ringer).
![](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OXJa_MSNAaJrUzIiNxm2GyCTLKE=/0x37:1200x665/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24559508/OKCIntruigingPlayInTeam_AP_Ringer.jpg)
Speaking of years past, a hallmark of OKC's small-town, close-knit feel was the way its fans showed up for the team, like showing up in the middle of the night to welcome the team after a road game. Well, kids, it's back...
A tradition unlike any other…Thunder fans show up at 2:30 am to welcome their team home from the final regular season road trip. #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/pchBPfgzyy
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 7, 2023