"I usually skip this part" - NBA fans berate OKC Thunder for 'cringy' postgame rituals

The OKC Thunder escaped Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans with a 94-92 win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of the Thunder celebrated their win by "barking" following the postgame interview, which some fans are not happy about.

Gilgeous-Alexander gave the Thunder a three-point lead with around 30 seconds left before CJ McCollum cut it to two in the next possession. Chet Holmgren split his free throws to give the Pelicans a chance to tie or win the game.

However, McCollum missed the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer as Thunder players were hyped with their first postseason victory as a group. SGA was interviewed after the game and was surrounded by his teammates. They then did the "barking" celebration to end it.

NBA fans on social media couldn't believe what the OKC Thunder did after the game, and some even called it "cringy." It's a recurring theme for the young Thunder squad, having fun after a tough game and making other fans angry on the internet.

"I usually skip this part," one fan commented.

"I'd rather have the Grizzlies over this. Grizzlies were actually good," another fan claimed.

"And I'm supposed to take this team seriously?" another fan asked.

Meanwhile, the OKC Thunder fans love the enthusiasm of their team after a big win. The Thunder went from missing the postseason last year to the No. 1 seed this year.

"Hating on them for being fun? Y'all are actually sad," one fan replied.

"People in the comment don,t even wanna let them have fun and celebrate," another fan remarked.

"Let them enjoy this moment. You can see the chemistry and togetherness they have amongst one another," one fan commented.

---

OKC Thunder has four finalists in the NBA awards

It has been a good season for the OKC Thunder, finishing the campaign as the No. 1 team in the Western Conference.

The Thunder have four finalists in the major NBA awards this season, including the Most Valuable Player, Clutch Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of three finalists for the MVP and Clutch award winners. SGA has been among the best players in the league this season along with Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.

The All-Star guard has also shown up in clutch moments and will battle Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors and DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls for the Clutch Player of the Year award.

Chet Holmgren has been a standout in his first official year in the league, but he has got a slim chance to take home the ROY against Victor Wembanyama. Coach Mark Daigneault will need to beat out Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic.