As the Thunder vs Spurs series nears its close, it seems that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has yet to wake up and give the fans a massive performance in the Western Conference Finals. Heading into Game 6 with a chance to seal the deal, SGA needs to deliver a huge game to show why he’s the MVP and will his team to the Finals.
At this point, we all know how the Thunder star has been hounded by a lot of double teams and intense defense from both Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle, yet has still managed to deliver impressive performances — but they’re still pedestrian by his standards. Now more than ever, they need him to rise if they are going to take the trip to the NBA Finals soon.
SGA Needs A Masterclass To Cap Off Thunder vs Spurs Series
Chet Holmgren has certainly come alive in this series so far with an impressive Game 5. SGA, by his standards, has yet to deliver a promising game in which he’s been able to impose his will on the court. As the series shifts to San Antonio for one last time, it seems that this is the time for the MVP to come alive.
SGA Has been Brilliant In Playmaking
So much has been discussed when it comes to his inability to be a pivotal playmaker in the season compared to his co-MVP candidates, like Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. However, this series has been an eye-opener for just how good he is as a playmaker. For starters, he’s leading the charge for OKC in the assists department.
SGA has the most assists in the WCF to begin with, with a total of 49 dimes. For someone who is doubled so much and is facing the most defense in the games, Gilgeous-Alexander is definitely making the right reads most of the time. He’s also not turning the ball over so much, even with that kind of coverage. Castle has the most turnovers with 25, and SGA has 17 in total.
SGA has been brutal shooting the rock vs SA with 39-33-89 shooting splits but has been awesome passing the ball:
9.8 assists (1st)
2.0 hockey assists (1st)
18.2 potential assists (1st)
26.4 assist points created (1st)Seeing the floor 👀
— Thunder Moneyball (@geola388) May 27, 2026
When you look at it, the reigning MVP’s 49-17 turnover ratio is definitely not that bad. He’s actually making brilliant plays and passing the ball to his teammates. It is one of the reasons why the OKC bench is actually rolling well in this series, and there’s no doubt that he’ll continue to work on that, with fewer turnovers, hopefully.
Shaking The Defense Should Be Easy For Gilgeous-Alexander
Averaging 26.2 points, 9.8 assists, and 3.0 rebounds isn’t a bad stat line for the reigning MVP. However, again, by his standards, it is a bit pedestrian to begin with. After shooting above 50% from the field in the first two rounds, he’s dropped to 38.8% shooting in the WCF alone. We’ve seen him shake off his rust in Game 1 when he shot 7-of-23 from the field, and he has lowered his shot attempts ever since.
Even in the Game 5 win, Gilgeous-Alexander shot 7-of-19 from the field. It doesn’t help the internet discourse that the Thunder star has 49 free throws made to just 38 field goals made. Sure, the Spurs’ defense has been extremely superb and may be getting away with a lot of calls, but as the reigning MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander should play it smart and find ways to blow by the defense.
SGA is just too good man. What can you do…
32 points
9 assists
2 steals
16/17 FT
2/3 3P(via @realapp) pic.twitter.com/n54zbPmNjA
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 27, 2026
He’s been doing it in the past few games, but the easy shots aren’t falling for him. May it be fatigue, rust, or just really tough luck, SGA is definitely overdue for a masterclass at this point. We’ve seen him deliver that in two elimination games. He finished with over 33 points on nearly 55% from the field in eliminating Phoenix and the Lakers. Come to think of it, this is his time to shine.
Will There Be An SGA Masterclass Soon?
The Thunder vs Spurs series has been an epic matchup so far. Fans are definitely glued to this showdown as it continues to unravel a massive chess match between two elite teams. Gilgeous-Alexander, for what it’s worth, however, now has to answer the call and step up in order to win. After all, they’ll be getting the Spurs’ best punch, and the reigning MVP has to help them weather the storm and push onward to the biggest stage of the game.
So yes, if there’s going to be a masterclass from any OKC player, it should come from no other than SGA himself.
Featured Image: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
