The Oklahoma City Thunder emerged victorious in a thrilling Game 7, punctuated by incredible individual performances and high-level team play. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was beautiful. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander orchestrated the Thunder’s offense to perfection, leading the charge with style points. His consistent engine to create space for others while putting up points on the scoreboard helped him to contribute heavily to the team’s unprecedented success. Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance on that night was historic. In addition to earning the Finals MVP award, he made NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance was pivotal in establishing the Thunder’s rhythm. He tallied seven dimes in the first frame alone. He generated so many scoring opportunities for his teammates, and when the ball was on his foot, he finished. While Gilgeous-Alexander struggled from the field, his overall performance was still phenomenal. Dude fought through physicality and delivered down the stretch with 29 points and 12 assists — a huge show of mental toughness. He was the key player in every game he played in the series. He averaged 30.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game through the Finals.
Masterful Offense
In Game 7, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander demonstrated exceptional control and composure as he dribbled the ball predominantly with his left hand. His effortless, unpredictable style helped him dance around defenses, opening up space for himself and his teammates. Increasingly, he doesn’t need to be viewed in that traditional sense, as a playmaker — as his 6.4 assists per game this season would suggest. His playmaking ability has been a key in maintaining the Thunder’s offensive rhythm.
It was not until the game moved into the second half of play that Gilgeous-Alexander’s impact on the game really started to show. His playmaking abilities provided a boost to his teammates’ confidence, allowing them to get comfortable in-game and take advantage of scoring opportunities. The credibility of the Thunder’s title run went beyond their amazing chemistry. What was most striking about Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance was the way he seemed to take control.
“I don’t know why he’s asleep right now, I guess it’s not loud enough.” – Isaiah Hartenstein
Isaiah Hartenstein’s quote sums up the excitement about Gilgeous-Alexander’s hot start. His teammates have been pushing him all week to deliver, further intensifying the moment. During the course of the game, it was easy to see that his impact on the court was raising the team’s overall level of play.
Historic Achievement
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s accomplishments during this breakout season are impressive. He made history by becoming the first player in 25 years to win the regular season MVP and scoring title. To add to that, he won the Finals MVP! The last player to pull off this incredible triple was Shaquille O’Neal with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. This accomplishment underscores Gilgeous-Alexander’s significance in the league and solidifies his status as one of the premier talents in basketball today.
His scoring efficiency this season is on pace to be one of the best in NBA history for a guard. In game 7, he had a horrid shooting night, hitting only 8-27 from the field. He even overcame this major challenge to score many important points and set up game-winning plays, leading the Thunder to their championship win. This mixture of personal accomplishment and collective victory represents a seminal achievement for both Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City.
Team Dynamics
The chemistry on the Thunder roster ended up being extremely important not only to their success in all of Finals but winning it as well. His vision and ability to find open teammates provided ample opportunities for the players around him to step up and make impactful plays. He did this by placing his teammates in optimal positions, increasing their comfort level and their confidence. The further the game progressed, the more they learned how powerful they actually were.
That synergy was on full display as the offense came alive with players getting open looks and making shots, taking advantage of opportunities created by Gilgeous-Alexander’s playmaking. The secret sauce was that the team bust their asses and had each other’s backs. Their powerhouse collaboration proved that effective partnership is more important than ever for reaching championship success.
