Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is more valuable than you think for Oklahoma City. Of course, he’s the reigning MVP and the second-best scorer in the league. There’s a lot about his game that makes him the Thunder’s most important player. With the playoffs coming up, OKC must solve a key problem with SGA: an over-reliance on him and his elite performances. That may cost them their chance to repeat now more than ever.
SGA boasts the highest plus/minus this season at +876, which is a huge indicator of the Thunder’s dependence on him. It’s safe to say that they are winning the most with him on the floor. That’s primarily why he’s the frontrunner for MVP again, but it also presents the Thunder’s main weakness: they need Gilgeous-Alexander to win most of their games. This season, Oklahoma City went 56-12 with him on the floor. That’s nearly 88% of their regular season wins.
OKC Has an SGA Problem to Address in the Playoffs
As the Thunder roll through the postseason, they need to look like themselves in their championship campaign. Despite having the best depth in the league, they aren’t as tough as most people think — especially without their best player.
How Important is SGA to the Thunder?
Gilgeous-Alexander is ranked as the most impactful player for the 2026 playoffs. That’s not an overstatement, but it shows how much of a game-changer he is.
This has been SGA’s best season so far; he’s drilling 39% of his threes, and 60% of his twos. Perhaps the best bit here? SGA is boasting a 66.5% true shooting percentage. This is a mark worth rivaling Stephen Curry‘s 66.9% TS in his unanimous MVP season. By now, there shouldn’t be any arguments left for SGA’s MVP case.
If you don't like complicated ideas or metrics, a very simple stat:
OKC has outscored opponents by 788 points total across SGA's minutes this season, 100 more than the Spurs have outscored opponents in 2nd-place Victor Wembanyama's minutes.
The Thunder have won the most with…
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 12, 2026
Without SGA, however, the Thunder struggle to win, evidenced by their 8-6 without him this season. Sure, it’s still above .500, but it also proves he’s crucial to the team’s success. In contrast, the San Antonio Spurs were 12-6 without Victor Wembanyama, and the Denver Nuggets were 11-6 without Nikola Jokic — records that underscore SGA’s importance compared to other MVP candidates.
So yes, the Thunder have a problem with SGA. And with the playoffs now on their doorstep, they’ve got to show they’re not completely clinging onto him.
How Can OKC Rely Less on SGA?
By now, we’ve seen that SGA must create his own shots in addition to helping others. But the Thunder are dynamic enough to play to their strengths. Double teams have come and gone to harass Gilgeous-Alexander on the court, but he’s found a way to solve that riddle, too. Still, the Thunder have other facilitators who can take the pressure off of SGA.
Enter Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. In addition to being OKC’s third and fourth leading scorers, they are bonafide playmakers in their own right. While we haven’t seen much of them this season due to injuries, they can help run the show in the playoffs. SGA led the team with 448 assists this year. Mitchell was next with 206. Cason Wallace ended up third with 200 dimes, and J-Dub finished fourth with 181 — despite missing the most games for the Thunder this season.
80.3% (!) of SGA's made shots were unassisted this season and he shot 59.7 eFG%…
All-Time Great Self-Creation pic.twitter.com/kHNG5U7rpP
— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) April 17, 2026
Having other ball handlers and playmakers makes OKC better. Not only do they remove the reliance on their star guard, but they open up more opportunities for the rest of the squad as well. When it comes to scoring, everybody eats in OKC. There’s Chet Holmgren, who has enjoyed a massive season, as well as Jaylin Williams, Isaiah Joe, and even Jared McCain.
Does OKC Really Need to Solve This Problem?
To be fair, this has been the Thunder’s playbook for the last three years. Ever since SGA rose to stardom, they’ve made him the centerpiece of the roster, surrounding him with complementary players. That strategy hides his weaknesses and amplifies his game.
Highest FG% in NBA history by a guard averaging 30+ PPG:
SGA – 55.3% (this season)
Jordan – 53.9% ('90-91)
Jordan – 53.8% ('88-89)
SGA – 53.5% ('23-24)
Jordan – 53.5% ('87-88) pic.twitter.com/s3TvuTZHC6— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 13, 2026
While it’s a common tactic for teams led by at least one star, the difference is that Gilgeous-Alexander is a born winner. His consistency makes Oklahoma City even more dangerous. It’s safe to say the Thunder don’t really have to worry about this one. It’s the rest of the league that has an SGA problem heading into the playoffs.
© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
