Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not pulling his weight, or maybe it’s the long season, although perhaps motivation has yet to reach its pinnacle.
Gilgeous-Alexander himself is suggesting it. He is looking for more from himself as the Oklahoma City Thunder progress through the playoffs.
Consider it a warning for the rest of the NBA as the Thunder — the Western Conference’s best team all season — sit 12 victories away from the 405 lining up for a championship parade.
On the brink of the first MVP of his career, Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t think he has contributed enough. And that is after a series sweep in the first round.
After shooting 35.3 percent from the floor through three games of the Thunder’s first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, and 25.0 percent from 3-point range, Gilgeous-Alexander had a decision to make: keep shooting or dive into ball distribution.
“In the past, I definitely would’ve shied away from the moment because of where my shooting was headed,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after a spot in the Western Conference semifinals was secured. “I think I’ve taken a step mentally, but I think I’ve done so all season and it paid off in the moment, in the night where we needed it.
“That’s what it’s all about, just getting it done. Because I stayed true to who I have become and who I developed into, we got a W tonight.”
If there was a time where the NBA scoring champion, at 32.7 points per game, would have deferred to others, that time is no more. In Game 4, he unloaded for 38 points and 54.2 percent shooting on 24 attempts.
And the stakes are only getting higher, which means Gilgeous-Alexander will be that much more engaged when the conference semifinals arrive.
Up next could be a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers — only the team that traded Gilgeous-Alexander away after one season — and the Thunder still are reaping the rewards of what has become a massively one-sided deal.
Another possibility is a matchup with the Denver Nuggets, the 2023 NBA champions. The teams split the four regular-season games this season. The Nuggets scored at least 140 points seven times, the most recent against the Thunder on March 10. The Thunder, no doubt, remember.
As for now, the Thunder wait to learn their next opponent. Is it the advantage it seems to be?
“I’m not sure,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Honestly, it can work both ways against us. It could add a little rust. It could add a little freshness. I think trying to find a balance between those two is going to be important in however long it is until we get to the next series. But we always say the time between the games is when you win in the playoffs, and that’s what we’re going to try to tackle.”
The Thunder had a week off between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs, while their opponent continued to play, and they were just fine in the first round.
The fact that their star and leader is giving that aspect of the proceedings plenty of consideration is a good sign. The idea that he wants to raise his game moving forward is an even better one.
“I don’t know where this ups-and-downs thing is coming from. I think he played a hell of a series,” the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren said of his teammate. “… It’s an imperfect game. Shai is never going to go 25-for-25. I hope he does. He was making the right plays all series, the right reads, trusting players.”
Make no mistake: The Thunder are feeling good about where they stand right now and sound completely comfortable with what is needed for the road ahead.
Gilgeous-Alexander has led the Thunder into the conference semifinals for the second time in the past three seasons. They look ready to exceed that level now.
“Just try to be a better team than we were in (the first-round) series come next series,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
The warnings for the rest of the league could not be clearer.
“The guys have to bring great focus and intentionality. We have to put a great plan out there,” head coach Mark Daigneault said about staying locked in between series. “Hopefully we all do that.”
