The Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves down 1-2 after losing Game 3 to the Dallas Mavericks. The No. 1 seed of the Western Conference now faces an uphill battle. After the contest, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander provided a stern challenge to his teammates for the upcoming Game 4 matchup.
Gilgeous-Alexander wants the Thunder to play more aggressively while also playing smart, according to Nick Gallo of Bally Sports Oklahoma. Considering how close Game 3 was, this advice could be the difference-maker moving forward.
“Be decisive and be smarter with our attacks. They have good size on the wings and with their bigs. Being aggressive, but being smart.”
Game 3 was a tight contest from the beginning. The Thunder only lost 105-101 so it’s not like they were blown out of the water. Making some small changes could go a long way in Oklahoma City’s chances in the postseason. Especially against the Mavericks.
It’s nice to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander send a message to his teammates though. He’s stepped right into a leadership role and many believe he was more deserving of the MVP award than Nikola Jokic. The Thunder are a young team and have a bright future. But they’ll have to overcome the challenge the Mavericks are presenting.
Gilgeous-Alexander was nearly a one-man show on Saturday, recording 31 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Meanwhile, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Isaiah Joe combined for 42 points. But it just wasn’t enough to beat Dallas down the stretch.
The Thunder will have a chance to tie the series as Game 4 tips off on Monday, May 13. Having a day of rest before that contest could be just what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates need to take back home-court advantage.
Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserved MVP
Nikola Jokic took home the MVP award for the third time in his career. He balled out during the regular season and hopes to lead the Denver Nuggets to its second NBA Championship in back-to-back years. However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up ridiculous numbers himself and many believe he was more deserving of the award.
The Thunder superstar finished the regular season averaging 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. He also led Oklahoma City to the No. 1 seed of the Western Conference after being the best player on the roster. Without him, the Thunder likely wouldn’t even be in contention for the top seed and would potentially be a bottom-tier team in the 2024 season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proved to be a difference-maker more often than not. He was one of the league’s best scorers. Mix that with the fact the Thunder won the No. 1 seed, and you have a strong case as to why Gilgeous-Alexander was more deserving of the MVP award over Jokic.
Maybe these two will face off in the third round of the NBA Playoffs. However, both the Thunder and Nuggets have to climb out of a 1-2 hole in their respective playoff series.
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