As the league’s youngest team, the 1-seed Thunder are learning important postseason lessons in real-time.
MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is certainly not exempt from the teachings, either.
Oklahoma City entered Sunday facing a 2-1 series deficit after Gilgeous-Alexander was limited to 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting in Game 3’s overtime loss to Denver. The image of Gilgeous-Alexander exiting the court with a grimacing smile was embedded into fans’ minds during the layoff between Games 3 and 4.
With the Thunder entering a must-win situation in Game 4, Gilgeous-Alexander had an opportunity to make an MVP statement against three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
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And while Gilgeous-Alexander’s model efficiency wasn’t quite there, he did what was needed for his team to even the series. Here’s more from SGA’s performance in the gritty, low-scoring affair.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Game 4 stats vs. Nuggets
While Oklahoma City and Denver turned in the lowest combined first-quarter score in NBA playoff history, Gilgeous-Alexander was solid during the first 12 minutes of action. He matched the Nuggets’ first-quarter total with eight points on 2-of-4 shooting, helping the Thunder get out to a nine-point advantage early on.
The well dried up for the Thunder later on, as the Nuggets began to chip away, taking a six-point lead into the final frame after big showings in the second and third quarters.
When it was needed most, Gilgeous-Alexander stepped up, scoring nine of his team-high 25 points in the final frame. Here’s his full stat line:
- 25 points
- 6 rebounds
- 6 assists
- 8-19 (42.1%) FGs
- 0-5 (0.0%) 3FGs
- 9-12 (75.0%) FTs
- 2 steals
- 0 blocks
- 3 turnovers
After the game, Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN’s Jorge Sedano that Oklahoma City approaches each game with a do-or-die mentality. That was especially true Sunday as the Thunder avoided falling into the historically difficult 3-1 series deficit.
And while Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC in scoring, his shooting splits are a testament to Denver’s defense and are the continuation of a trend that has stuck with the superstar guard throughout the postseason.
MORE: Thunder, Nuggets combine for lowest-scoring quarter in postseason history in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander NBA Playoffs stats
Gilgeous-Alexander is the presumptive MVP favorite for his efforts during the regular season. Over 76 games, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from 3-point range.
Here’s how those numbers compare to his numbers in the postseason:
| Regular season | R1 vs. Grizzlies | R2 vs. Nuggets | |
| Points | 32.7 | 27.8 | 27.5 |
| Rebounds | 5.0 | 5.0 | 8.3 |
| Assists | 6.4 | 6.0 | 7.3 |
| FG% | 51.9 | 40.2 | 47.5 |
| 3FG% | 37.5 | 25.0 | 21.1 |
| FT% | 89.8 | 90.9 | 81.1 |
| Steals | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Blocks | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 |
| Turnovers | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring isn’t quite up to his regular-season level yet, and his 3-point efficiency has dipped each round. It wasn’t as needed during the Thunder’s first-round sweep of the Grizzlies but as the competition stiffens, OKC will need its MVP at his best.
That the Thunder have found ways to win speaks to the composition of their team and should be a reason for encouragement, as Gilgeous-Alexander will work his way out of the pseudo-slump that’s limited his scoring exploits.
