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Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got honest about how he would deal with facing his cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker for the Western Conference Finals.
As the Thunder beat the Nuggets and advance to the Western Conference Finals, that means that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is about to face his cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who plays shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“It’ll be very fun,” Gilgeous-Alexander said in an interview. “It’s hard to explain. If you knew how close we are, he’s like my second brother. He’s been through every stage of life with me.”
“For both of us to be where we are is special. To compete against each other is even more special,” he added. “But, I am trying to take his head off for sure. Completely.”
SGA on playing against his cousin NAW in the WCF:
“It’ll be very fun.
It’s hard to even explain. If you know how close we are. He’s like my second brother. We’ve been through every stage of life together.
..it’s very special.
But I’m gonna try to take his head off for sure.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) May 18, 2025
The Oklahoma City Thunder secured their spot in the Western Conference Finals after a dominant 125-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. The Thunder took control early, outscoring Denver 39-20 in the second quarter, and never looked back. Their defense was suffocating, forcing 22 turnovers, which led to easy transition buckets.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the standout performer, delivering a game-high 35 points on 12-for-19 shooting, along with three rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block. His ability to control the pace and attack Denver’s defense was crucial in OKC’s success.
Jalen Williams also stepped up, contributing 24 points and seven assists, while Chet Holmgren recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Denver struggled to keep up, with Nikola Jokic leading the Nuggets with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, but he was frustrated all night by OKC’s relentless defense.
OKC Teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as MVP
As the Oklahoma City Thunder advances to the Western Conference Finals, his teammate Chet Holmgren grabbed the attention of the press during a post-game interview and declared his teammate the MVP of the season.
“You know who this is? The MVP,” Holmgren said on mic.
“You know who this is? The MVP.”
Chet letting the world know about SGA after OKC advances
pic.twitter.com/3LHWDBvq5z
— ESPN (@espn) May 18, 2025
SGA also has a chance to make history by becoming the first player since LeBron James in 2013 to win both the NBA MVP and Finals MVP in the same season, should teh RThunder eventually make it through the Finals and win the championship.
Fans and analysts believe that if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Oklahoma City Thunder to their first-ever NBA championship, he could cement his legacy as one of the league’s elite players. His ability to elevate his game in high-pressure moments, as seen in the Western Conference Semifinals, has drawn comparisons to LeBron’s legendary 2012 Finals run, where he averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists to secure both awards.
More must-reads:
- Kevin Durant’s top choice reportedly does not want him
- Concerning update on Tyrese Haliburton's injury surfaces
- The 'Most points in a quarter of an NBA Finals game' quiz
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