The OKC Blue might have fallen in Mexico City to the Capitanes due to an offensive explosion by former UConn standout and current Capitanes guard Shabazz Napier after the Roxbury native went off for 40 points, but Blue wing Adam Mokoka isn’t looking for something to blame for OKC’s 21-point lead evaporating under the pressure of Napier’s assault.
Not even the altitude, which has been a thorn in the side of visiting teams to the new home arena of the Capitanes, the Blue the latest victims thereof to the tune of a 118-116 loss. “The elevation for sure is hitting us,” he explained, “but we’re not going to make excuses. I feel like they came on really hard in the third quarter — that’s when we had some trouble.”
“We still tried to fight to the end, but (Napier) was hitting big shots, and that’s part of the game,” he added of the overtime contest that ended on a late shot by Capitanes wing Caio Pacheco.
A quick recap of the OKC Blue’s loss to the Mexico City Capitanes. https://t.co/nkElPZHvSn
— OKC Thunder Wire (@The_ThunderWire) January 7, 2023
Mokoka had enjoyed his visit to the Mexican capital, which has been the renewed subject of a potential expansion team for the NBA in the not-too-distant future. “That would be a great opportunity for Mexico to get an NBA team,” related the French shooting guard.
“They are doing pretty good with the G League team, and I like the resources, the infrastructure, and the people, and (their) energy is really great.” Good enough to power the Capitanes to back-to-back wins in their home arena, though the Blue took Mexico City to the brink twice in a row.
