Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Unsure Over OKC Locker Room’s Mentality After Blow-Out Loss Suggests Unwanted Playoffs History

Tonight was one the Oklahoma City Thunder would like to erase from memory. Not even this year’s MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, could stop the Timberwolves from steamrolling their way to a dominant home win. The loss wasn’t just lopsided — it raised deeper questions about OKC’s performance. And when a reporter pointed out a troubling pattern taking shape, even SGA seemed at a loss for answers.

The Thunder looked flat tonight — and it’s not the first time that’s happened this postseason. As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander himself admitted, OKC showed signs of complacency back in the first round against the Grizzlies too. Maybe there’s something about teams with animal mascots that trips them up — who knows? But jokes aside, even SGA seemed puzzled by the recurring pattern. One thing’s for sure though: the Thunder are determined not to let this troubling playoff habit carry on any further.

“I’m not sure. The same thing kinda happened in the Memphis Series. We came out in Memphis, and they blitzed us. I’m not sure. I guess [in] both situations, we were up 2-0 going into game three. And we went on the road, and they blitzed….But whatever it is, we gotta figure out if we wanna, you know, reach our ultimate goals. But, that’s what the days in between are for, to get better,” said the 2025 NBA MVP.

Jan 23, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) gestures after a play against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

But it’s not like Shai had no answers for us. He thinks that it wasn’t just one thing that caused the Thunder to go down tonight. It was a death by a thousand small cuts. “Like, just energy plays and little plays, like, loose balls, stuff like that, adds up, especially early in the game. And then they’re at home, their crowd’s behind it, then they get comfortable,” he said. He thinks this all had a “trickle effect” on tonight’s game, eventually leading to a massive blowout victory for the Wolves.

But this doesn’t mean the Thunder or SGA are giving up. Shai knows that the series is far from over, and they still have a 2-1 lead. So when a reporter asked how he plans to deal with this loss, he gave the media an answer that will give Thunder fans a lot of hope.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reveals what’s next for the Thunder in Game 4

The way the Oklahoma City Thunder grabbed the top seed in the regular season was quite simple. They blitzed opponents early, forced mistakes, and capitalized on them. And once they’d sunk their teeth into the game with a lead, they would refuse to let go, building on it and punishing their opponents. 

Well, tonight, the exact same thing happened. Except it was the Minnesota Timberwolves doing the punishing. So, a reporter asked Shai if what happened tonight startled the Timberwolves. The Canadian guard denied it and then revealed what came next for his team.

“I wouldn’t say it was startling. It just it happens. Like, you’re never gonna be perfect in life and in a long season. Now it’s you get punched. It’s about getting back up. It’s about responding. And that’s what the next challenge is. We got punched in the mouth today, and next game, we’re either gonna get back up or not,” said Shai.

 Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

And we know how the Thunder respond when teams “punch” them. The Denver Nuggets were able to give OKC a run for their money in the Western Conference Semifinals. However, the Thunder showed up in Game 7 with a vengeance to make sure they moved onto the next round. 

And here we are, talking about them in the Western Conference Finals. So clearly, SGA and his teammates know how to respond to a blow like this. But can they do it when the lights are at their brightest and the pressure’s like nothing they’ve ever felt before? We’ll find out when Game 4 of this series rolls around!

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