In a decisive Game 6 that could have ensured the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s spot in the NBA Finals, the Thunder came up short, suffering a blowout 118-91 loss against the San Antonio Spurs. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander having one of the worst playoff games of his career (15 PTS, 4 AST, 6-18 FG), the reigning MVP had to commend the Spurs.
During his postgame interview, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addressed several questions regarding the game. However, when asked whether San Antonio was the toughest opponent they’ve faced, he responded:
“I don’t know. They’re up there for sure. Indiana and Denver were pretty tough. Taking us to Game 7 is probably the common denominator with those groups. But they’re a very tough team, a really good team.”
“This late in the season, you’re going to play teams of this caliber. It’s not a surprise,” he continued. “When you’re on a playoff run, you run into teams that are really good, especially when you get this late. However many games it takes is however many games it takes.”
Since their rise as a superpower in the NBA, only a handful of teams have managed to make the Thunder sweat.
In last year’s playoffs, the Denver Nuggets were the only team in the West to push OKC to seven games. With Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander battling each other to a standstill, the Thunder finally came out on top with a dominant 125-93 win in Game 7.
Similarly, the Indiana Pacers‘ awe-inspiring run through the East last year led many to believe they would be blown away by OKC in the NBA Finals. However, the Pacers displayed remarkable resilience, pushing the Thunder to seven games despite Tyrese Haliburton‘s injury in Game 5.
Now, the San Antonio Spurs emerge as the newest challenge for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder. With a do-or-die situation brewing in Game 7, OKC must find its bearings to keep its title hopes alive.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reflects On Game 7 Matchup
The Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves in a precarious position going into Game 7. Although they have been dominant on their home court this season, the Spurs are among the few teams that have been successful in overshadowing them in their own building.
It goes without saying that this Game 7 matchup will be a test of OKC’s resilience. To that note, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was also brutally aware of the consequences.
“Anything can happen in a Game 7. It’s win-or-go-home,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “It being in your building is nice, but it doesn’t really mean anything. You have to go out there and be the better basketball team, or else your season is done. That’s what it really comes down to. It’s going to be nice having our fans behind us and cheering us, but we need to go out there and be better, or else our season will be over.”
When speaking about what would be required of him in Game 7, especially in light of his underwhelming performance in Thursday night’s game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remained fairly composed when he commented:
“I’m not too sure, to be honest. A lot of the shots that I’m shooting, I’ve shot plenty of times before, and they feel good. They’re just not going in. But yeah, it’s too late to abandon my work and abandon my game and who I am. This late in the season, I’ve got to trust it and live or die by it.”
It could be argued that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s display in Game 6 was an outlier, especially considering that he is averaging 24.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game on 37.9% shooting from the field in the WCF.
But considering that these are the lowest figures he has been held to in the playoffs thus far, there may be some evidence to suggest that the Spurs have found a way to contain him.
For the most part, the Thunder have bounced back well after blowout losses. The win in Game 5 was a clear indication of this. However, with OKC facing far greater stakes in their upcoming matchup on Saturday night, things could go either way.
