OKC Thunder Need MVP Performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Win NBA Title

Oklahoma City is a win away from its first NBA title, and it needs one more big performance from its superstar.

Throughout the 2024-25 season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a tier above almost everyone else in the league. He has followed an MVP regular season with an incredible playoff run, and he has a chance to close out a spectacular two months in Indiana on Thursday night.

Going into Game 6, the Thunder have preached taking everything one day at a time and not getting caught up in the spectacle of the NBA Finals. With Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge, it’s easy to see how the Thunder can do so well at blocking out the noise.

“Ultimately, I'm just trying to stay in the moment,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I think that's what's gotten me here. That's what has helped me achieve the MVP award, achieve all the things I've achieved. It's helped this team win basketball games. Trying to stick to that script and focusing on winning basketball games.”

Still, the Thunder haven’t won anything yet. They still need one more victory to cap off the best season in franchise history. To reach that final goal, they will need their superstars to shine bright one last time.

Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 32.4 points in these Finals, the most in any playoff series of his career. With four 30-point games already, Gilgeous-Alexander has made his mark as one of the best to ever perform on this stage.

After his heroics in Game 4 saved the Thunder’s season, he had a much more complete outing in Game 5, dishing out 10 assists to go with 31 points. While the goal is to win in any way possible, finding the perfect balance of scoring and playmaking will make things much simpler for the Thunder.

Throughout this season, Gilgeous-Alexander has had plenty of 40 or 50-point games, and to win in Game 6, the Thunder might need another massive performance. Oklahoma City has found ways to attack Indiana’s defense and get the looks it wants, particularly in Game 5.

If the Thunder can simply continue to play their game and play the right way, another big night from Gilgeous-Alexander could get them across the finish line. Although only time will tell what happens in Game 6, another MVP performance in Indiana could result in Gilgeous-Alexander holding a much more important trophy.