Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the worst games of his playoffs this season. As the OKC Thunder folded under San Antonio Spurs' elite defense, their superstar also came out with a disappointing stat line of 19 points from 6-15 FG shooting.

The San Antonio Spurs started Game 4 by attacking the Thunder’s defense. However, they also made sure to build a big defensive wall against the Thunder’s elite offense this game.

After the game, SGA highlighted a big takeaway from the loss. He explained to the reporters what went wrong with the Thunder.

"They just punched us in our face early. It's two games in a row,” SGA said. “They've come out as the aggressors. Last game, we were able to course correct. Tonight, we just didn't do so.”

In Game 1, the Spurs started the strike early against the Thunder’s defense and ended up with a 15-0 lead in the first three minutes. In the second game, the Spurs had taken a 23-8 lead in the first seven minutes. 

“We got to do a better job of starting the games," SGA added. "It's a little more challenging when you're on the road, but we got to go out there and do it if we want to win games, especially against a team that good.”

The Thunder were already shorthanded with Jalen Williams and they also had to play without Ajay Mitchell on Sunday. Williams was out with a lower calf strain, while Mitchell injured his right leg in Game 3.

During the post-game press conference, SGA also discussed their star center Chet Holmgren's lack of offense in Game 4.

SGA Addresses Holmgren’s Involvement in Thunder’s Offense

While SGA remains the best player on the Thunder’s roster, Chet Holmgren is also one of the most important pieces in their success. He played a big part in the Thunder’s championship run in 2025.

Since the Thunder are playing their toughest playoff series yet, Holmgren has had very little impact on both ends of the floor.

In Sunday’s loss, the Thunder's big man was non-existent on both ends of the court. After the loss, a reporter asked the reigning MVP about getting Holmgren more involved in their offense. 

“I mean, Chet is an easy target to find,” SGA said. “So, probably just like find him more in the dunker when he's spacing. Just put him in better positions to use his strengths as an offensive talent. I don't know exactly what that looks like, just cuz like I just got done playing, but watching film, we'll find ways for sure.”

In this series, Holmgren has averaged 11.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.8 blocks per game. For an offensively gifted 7-ft player who finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year award, these numbers are alarming and concerning.

The OKC team has to address these issues, especially when they need additional reinforcement on offense in Jalen Williams’ absence.

Do you think the Thunder can defend their home court in Game 5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Rishab Nandi