OKC Thunder's Playoff Run is Time for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Prove Himself

Though Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a well-established superstar, he needs to prove he can lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a deep playoff run.

Apr 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) warms up prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got his first true look at a playoff run as the leading scoring option a year ago — and it showcased the difficulties that comes with the territory.

The Oklahoma City Thunder picked up its first series win since the 2015-16 season — when Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant led the charge — against the New Orleans Pelicans in a sweep in Round 1. In those four games, Gilgeous-Alexander put up just over 27 points per game.

Granted, that was the expectation for the Thunder. The real test was the Dallas Mavericks in the second round, presenting a legitimate challenge for Gilgeous-Alexander to tackle.

Hindsight might have more of a bad look on Gilgeous-Alexander's performance against the Mavericks, but in all actuality, he mostly performed to his standards. The scoring numbers went up to 32 points per game, culminating in a 36-point peformance in Game 6.

As fate would have it, it wasn't enough. Dallas eliminated Oklahoma City in six games, winning the last two and going on to face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. The road for the Thunder was cut short as the No. 1 seed, but its inexperience prevented anyone from calling the season a "failure."

In 2025, the circumstances are much different.

The inexperience can only go so far — Oklahoma City got a taste of the playoff atmosphere and has equipped itself to be more prepared for the playoffs. Winning 68 games and having the likely MVP on your roster is undoubtedly going to bring even bigger expectations.

Plenty of those expectations are going to be placed on the shoulders of Gilgeous-Alexander. While he did perform in 2024, it's going to need to take the Thunder further this time. Getting a series win over potential opponents of Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic would fully cement him as one of the faces of the NBA.

While only 26 years old and possibly still away from his prime, it's time for Gilgeous-Alexander to bring results to Oklahoma City. A Western Conference Finals trip would be an improvement, even if the ultimate goal is an NBA Finals victory.

Gilgeous-Alexander's season has been flooded with free-throw criticisms and doubts on his playoff ability — but he has a chance to defy those. A string of strong performances and series wins will only help legitimate his incoming award.