OKC Thunder Finding Success With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Bench

The Thunder's MVP needs some rest during games, and his teammates delivered in Game 1.

Apr 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) against the Phoenix Suns during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City took care of business in Game 1, and its performance without its star was perhaps the most impressive piece.

On Tuesday night, the Thunder won the first game of the second round with a 108-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. As the series progresses, there will surely be plenty of storylines to follow, and there may not be many as interesting as how the Thunder perform without their MVP.

In 35 minutes of action, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 18 points, six assists and seven turnovers in what was likely his worst game of the entire season. Still, the Thunder managed to outscore the Lakers by nine when he was on the floor.

In years past, a more pedestrian performance by Gilgeous-Alexander, coupled with the absence of Jalen Williams, could have hurt the Thunder’s chances of winning significantly. However, the Thunder were just fine when he went to the bench and sat to begin the second and fourth quarters.

In those stretches, the Thunder not only survived without the MVP, but they also found ways to extend the lead in those minutes. In the second quarter, the Thunder extended their five-point lead as high as 10 before Gilgeous-Alexander eventually came back midway through the quarter to a nine-point advantage.

Unsurprisingly, Ajay Mitchell was the driving force of that six-minute stretch. With his leap this season, the Thunder have been able to find offense consistently, even without either Gilgeous-Alexander or Williams on the court.

Of course, the most important stretch of the night was the beginning of the fourth quarter, where the Thunder extended their 12-point lead to 19, and allowed Gilgeous-Alexander to make his way back onto the floor leading by 17. While Mitchell was the star of the first non-Shai minutes, Jared McCain came through in the fourth with momentum-building back-to-back threes to help shut the door on LA in Game 1.

Whether it be Mitchell, McCain or someone else, the Thunder have plenty of depth to survive the minutes without Gilgeous-Alexander as Williams continues to recover from his latest hamstring strain. Considering how tough JJ Redick and the Lakers have made it on Gilgeous-Alexander to get into a rhythm, getting this kind of production and building the lead when he’s not on the floor is critical.

Of course, just because the Thunder found success in Game 1 in those minutes doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to the rest of the way. However, if the Thunder can get an above-average performance in either the minutes with the MVP on or off the floor, it might be nearly impossible to beat the defending champs.