Jalen Williams Praises Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Trust in the Team

Oklahoma City bounced back in the biggest way possible on Wednesday night. After running out of gas and collapsing at the end of a highly anticipated Game 1, the Thunder needed a special performance to prove themselves again. A 43-point win certainly qualifies as a special performance.

The Thunder's dominating win shouldn't be too much of a surprise, the team was, in fact, leading Denver by double digits the entirety of Game 1. Oklahoma City was a historically good team, it shouldn't be a shock to see them get back on track. The team rallied in the face of pressure, and the rally started behind MVP-favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

SGA had one of the most efficient 30-point playoff efforts of all time, scoring 34 points on 11-of-13 from the floor. The rest of the team followed his lead, including Jalen Williams, who had a rough Game 1 outing. Williams added 17 points, seven assists, and four rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting. He spoke about Gilgeous-Alexander's impact on the team, and how he played a big part in inspiring the team's performance.

“From my viewpoint, if he calls for the ball, I usually just throw it to him and that works out pretty well,” Williams said with a grin. “He’s just unselfish, he trusts us to make plays. That just comes with time, this is my third year playing with him, so it’s one of those things that’s just like trust — it grows."

J-Dub on playing with SGA:

"If he calls for the ball, you usually just throw it to him... that works out pretty well." 😆 https://t.co/UJ2qYYAwKc pic.twitter.com/hDqQlyv88j
— NBA (@NBA) May 8, 2025

This isn't new for Gilgeous-Alexander or the Thunder. Every regular season is spent giving each important role player clutch time opportunities. SGA has deferred last second shots to Williams and Chet Holmgren, too. The team is now reaping the benefits of preparation.

“I think he understands that in order for us to be successful, he has to trust us the way that we trust him,” Williams said. “He has done a great job of it, so it makes it really easy to play confident and play off of him.

“Heavy on the first part, though, usually just throw him the ball, move to an open spot, and let him do his thing.”

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