Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finally had his MVP moment. But before the celebration could fully settle inside the arena, Victor Wembanyama had already turned the night into a nightmare. The Spurs phenom laughed from the sidelines as SGA stumbled through a brutal 3-for-13 shooting display, while San Antonio ripped away home-court momentum from the Thunder in stunning fashion with a 122-115 double OT win.
For the first time this postseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked rattled. Gilgeous-Alexander, fresh off edging out Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokić in one of the tightest MVP races in recent memory, never found his rhythm offensively, and the frustration only grew as Wemby dominated both ends of the floor. By the end of the night, the contrast was impossible to ignore.
On the night he officially became the NBA’s newest MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered one of his roughest playoff performances yet. Open layups rolled off the rim, careless turnovers piled up, and the Thunder star never looked comfortable attacking the paint. Then came the moment that perfectly summed up the night. With under nine minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Spurs holding a seven-point lead, SGA missed a clean baseline jumper. Victor Wembanyama snatched the rebound, clutched the ball tightly, and burst into laughter right in front of the reigning MVP as the crowd watched the frustration unfold.
At that point, SGA recorded just 3-13 FG. Frustrated, Shai even attempted to steal the ball back, but Victor Wembanyama kept smiling at him, adding insult to the injury.
The OKC superstar had no choice but to walk away helplessly as the ref blew the whistle on him. In his first 8 games, this postseason, despite a tough Lakers’ defense in semifinals Game 1, SGA had a cakewalk, averaging 29.1 ppg with a high score of 42 points. Tonight, he faced an elite defense that restricted him from his usual exploits.
Still, SGA had a chance to redeem himself in the closing minute when the team needed him the most. He dropped 4 crucial points, which included two free throws and a lay-up to tie the game—a chance to have the last laugh.
However, that wasn’t the case either. Although the Thunder forced a second overtime, the Spurs held their nerve and took Game 1, 122-115. SGA had a forgettable game, scoring 24 points with 7-23 FG. On the bright side, Alex Caruso stepped from the bench, dropping 31 points with 8 three-pointers.
But it was Victor Wembanyama who overshadowed SGA’s MVP night, recording a monstrous 41 points with 21 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflects on the tough Game 1 loss
Ever since SGA’s offense took over the league, the OKC has been on a dominant run. In the last three postseasons, the team has swept 4 series, 2 of them this season alone. But the team looked off-color, struggling to bring their magic. Especially, Shai had a poor shooting night.
Speaking about the loss, SGA respected his opponents and reflected on it and the challenge ahead in the upcoming games.
“Quality opponent, we knew it was gonna be a dog fight. We just gotta be better, me in particular. I have to play better, especially against a team of this caliber.”
Wemby’s dominating performance set the tone for the series, shattering OKC’s unbeaten run. Speaking at the post-game interview, the big man didn’t disregard the reigning champions as he seemed prepared for a long series.
“It might be a long series. Winning one game means something, but it doesn’t mean everything,” Wemby said. “So, we gotta stay down to earth. If it’s a long series, we gonna need this win.”
Adding to the stakes of tonight’s matchup, Nick Wright tweeted:
“On May 24, 1995, Hakeem watched David Robinson win the MVP that he thought he deserved, and responded with a 41-16-4-3-2 in a win. Nearly 31 years later to the day, Wemby watched SGA win the MVP that he campaigned for, and responded with a 41-24-3-1-3. Total brilliance.”
Given the OKC’s young roster and championship experience, the team might bounce back in the very next game. Most importantly, SGA, who had a troubled shooting night, might look to redeem himself offensively, especially after Wembanyama’s laugh.
The Frenchman’s reaction didn’t just pop out of nowhere, either. In the regular season, Wemby publicly vouched for himself in the MVP race, a rare occurrence. He listed three reasons why he should be topping the ladder. One of them was defeating Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his men in the regular season series with a 4-1 record.
It did work in his favor, as he went on to lead the ladder for the following weeks, before the league crowned SGA with the honors. Nevertheless, the battle isn’t over until it’s over. With De’Aaron Fox recovering from an ankle strain, the Spurs might have an added advantage in Game 2.
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