Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not hold back when he said “this season was a failure” for him. Despite a tough loss, fans were treated to an SGA Game 7 masterclass. But this may be a bigger hint of what he needs to improve going forward. As the Thunder move on to the next chapter, Gilgeous-Alexander has a lot to work on this summer.
OKC had its magical season come to an end on May 30. What proved to be quite a showdown in the Thunder vs Spurs clash ended in Oklahoma City’s downfall — albeit a temporary one. Now, SGA and his teammates must focus on coming back stronger than ever.
SGA Game 7 Performance Hints at Improvements in Offseason
For the reigning back-to-back MVP, this just means more points of improvement. After all, SGA himself had a great all-time season, but it didn’t end the way he wanted to. Still, there’s always the chance to go for it in the next campaign, which is a chance that he’ll get soon enough.
Consistency Took its Toll on SGA
The first two playoff series Gilgeous-Alexander played proved that he has what it takes to stay consistent. Despite finishing with a promising stat line of 35 points and nine assists in the Game 7 loss, SGA did not find it anywhere near satisfying. In fact, that ended the Thunder’s record of being undefeated in Game 7s at home. It also marked their first consecutive playoff losses since 2025.
To his defense, Gilgeous-Alexander did all he could to lift and will the defending champs to the NBA Finals. They just couldn’t make the right plays down the stretch, which proved to be futile for their chances. Everything that transpired in Game 7 was proof of what OKC had to fix, especially with SGA.
For what it’s worth, SGA still deserves his flowers. He did everything he could to help his team to the Finals, only to fall short by only a few possessions. Yes, he is consistent, but SGA alone could not bring this squad to the Finals as he did last year. The competition is getting tougher, and Oklahoma City has some catching up to do.
3-Point Shooting Was a Problem
By now, it should be clear that OKC has some issues to resolve in the offseason. There were many glaring problems heading into the Western Conference Finals. Shooting was one of the worst issues for the Thunder, evidenced by their subpar numbers against the Spurs.
The Thunder’s 3-point shooting was completely exposed in the conference finals. In fact, OKC shot 89-of-259 from three, a mark of 34.4% compared that barely edged the Spurs’ 34.1%. They had plenty of good looks in the series but could not knock them down.
OKC in striking distance it's so over spurs nation ✌🏾address this 3pt shooting and we back next year. Salute.
— ☘️ (@4Ghostttt) May 31, 2026
SGA didn’t have a good shooting series against San Antonio. He shot 28.6% from deep, going 8-of-28 for seven games. It was a tough series for him, and the fact he shot above 50% from the field only twice in the whole series shows how hard he struggled to play his game.
Where Were SGA’s Co-Stars?
It cannot be denied that SGA was a beast in Game 7, but his co-stars proved to be the losing factor that hammered the nail to the Thunder’s coffin. Sure, Jalen Williams was ultimately shut down after that poor outing in Game 6 with his hamstring injury. Ajay Mitchell, who proved to be an elite player on the squad, was also out with a calf strain.
Mark Daigneault was asked about Chet Holmgren not playing up to his standard in some of the biggest games of this postseason.
“Well, I mean, in the previous series, he was certainly was and those are the biggest games too, because they get you to the Western Conference finals.… pic.twitter.com/IYisMV156a
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) May 31, 2026
Chet Holmgren, who had a massive All-Star season of his own, ended up shrinking in Game 7 with just four points on just two field goal attempts. Everyone was expecting him to bring the fight, but in the end, it was only SGA doing the heavy lifting, and it played to their loss all the way to the final buzzer.
What to Expect from SGA in the Offseason
As the Thunder look to move on with their heads down after losing to the Spurs, Gilgeous-Alexander has taken accountability as a leader and acknowledged the defeat. This is the first step towards improvement for the team, and it is easy to expect that they will be making changes soon.
Still, even after those changes are made, SGA will have to take the lead and show his team how to get back on the big stage.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
