Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reveals Discontent with Playoff Performance Despite NBA Title Triumph

Oklahoma City, OK – The Oklahoma City Thunder, fresh off a dominant 9-1 start to the 2025-26 NBA season, currently hold the league’s best record as they pursue a historic back-to-back championship. This early-season performance has unequivocally silenced any whispers of a "championship hangover" that often plagues title-winning teams, particularly young squads. In fact, the Thunder appear even more formidable than the 68-win juggernaut that captured their maiden NBA championship just a year ago.

This remarkable continuity and heightened intensity are even more striking given the team’s youth and their lack of prior championship experience. While many might have expected a summer of celebration and a relaxed approach to defending their title, the Thunder, under the astute guidance of head coach Mark Daigneault and the relentless drive of their superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, have adopted a far more critical and demanding perspective.

Following the Thunder’s recent victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, a 118-105 display of defensive tenacity and offensive precision, Gilgeous-Alexander offered a candid and surprising assessment of their championship run. The reigning MVP and Finals MVP revealed that despite the ultimate triumph, he harbored significant reservations about the team’s overall level of play during the 2024-25 playoffs.

"Honestly speaking, I didn’t like the way we won, if that makes sense," Gilgeous-Alexander stated, his voice reflecting a blend of satisfaction with the outcome and dissatisfaction with the process. "I didn’t think we won an NBA championship playing our best basketball. And that was the first time we’d been that far in the playoffs, so it was a learning experience for us, but it takes another level of focus, discipline, assertiveness, aggression, to like, be who we were in the regular season and do that throughout the postseason."

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This self-critical evaluation from the team’s undisputed leader underscores a profound commitment to continuous improvement, a characteristic often associated with enduring dynasties. Gilgeous-Alexander further elaborated on the perceived disparity between their regular season and playoff form, a sentiment that might strike many as counterintuitive for a championship-winning team.

"I think we were definitely more dominant in the regular season than the postseason," Gilgeous-Alexander added, emphasizing the gap between their regular season consistency and the sometimes-uneven performances in the playoffs. "So yeah, that was the biggest thing for me. And for me, as well as a player, I don’t think I was as good in the postseason as I was in the regular season. Now, it naturally happens when you play a team seven times in a row, and they get to scout seven times in a row. But I feel like I could have been better, so I try to control that. And then that mentality I guess just trickles over to the team stuff."

Gilgeous-Alexander’s introspection is not an isolated thought but rather an echo of a philosophy meticulously cultivated within the Thunder organization since their championship celebration. Earlier this year, Coach Daigneault articulated a similar message that defined the team’s offseason approach. The directive within the OKC gym, he explained, was to "look at this season as if we lost in the second round — if we lost Game 7 in Denver." This stark re-framing of their triumph as a near-failure highlights a rare dedication to growth, refusing to allow past success to breed complacency.

The 2024-25 playoff journey, despite culminating in a championship, was indeed fraught with challenges that might have informed Gilgeous-Alexander’s assessment. The Thunder, after a stellar 68-14 regular season that saw them shatter numerous franchise records for efficiency and defensive prowess, were pushed to the brink twice. In the Western Conference Semifinals, they faced a formidable Denver Nuggets squad, the defending champions at the time, in a grueling seven-game series that tested their resolve and depth. They ultimately prevailed 4-3, but not without absorbing significant physical and mental strain. The NBA Finals presented another formidable adversary in the Indiana Pacers, who also extended the series to a decisive Game 7, which the Thunder ultimately won in a hard-fought contest.

These intense series, where the Thunder, despite their regular-season dominance, occasionally struggled to maintain their characteristic fluidity and suffocating defense, provide context for Gilgeous-Alexander’s comments. Their 68 regular-season wins, a testament to their consistent execution and exceptional talent, were built on an average margin of victory of 10.5 points, alongside an offensive rating of 119.8 (2nd in the league) and a defensive rating of 108.2 (3rd in the league). In the playoffs, while still elite, these numbers saw a subtle but noticeable regression, particularly on the offensive end, where the increased defensive intensity and focused scouting from opponents took their toll.

On a personal level, Gilgeous-Alexander’s statistical performance in the 2024-25 playoffs, while still exceptional and deserving of his Finals MVP honor, did show a dip from his historically efficient regular season. During the regular season, he posted an effective field goal percentage (eFG%) of 56.9%, a career-high that underpinned his MVP campaign, where he averaged 31.4 points, 6.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game on 53.5% shooting from the field. In the playoffs, his eFG% decreased to 49.4%, and his scoring average, while still an impressive 29.8 points per game, came on slightly less efficient shooting (46.2% from the field). This personal drop, though marginal in the context of a championship, appears to be a significant motivator for a player of Gilgeous-Alexander’s competitive fire.

This season, the immediate results of this hyper-focused approach are palpable. The Thunder lead the league with a stifling defensive rating of 106.4, demonstrating an enhanced commitment to perimeter containment, interior protection, and transition defense. They have paired this elite defense with the league’s sixth-ranked offense, operating with a renewed sense of purpose and precision. Their 9-1 record includes impressive victories over the Boston Celtics (125-110), Los Angeles Lakers (108-98), and a statement win against the defending Western Conference Champion Denver Nuggets (120-107), showcasing their ability to dominate top-tier competition. Their lone loss came in a tightly contested road game against the Milwaukee Bucks (115-112), a game where they held a lead deep into the fourth quarter.

The Thunder’s current season statistics reflect this blend of defensive steel and offensive fluidity. Gilgeous-Alexander, through the first 10 games, is averaging 32.1 points, 7.2 assists, and 2.5 steals, shooting 55.8% from the field and 41.2% from three-point range, demonstrating a clear rebound in efficiency from his self-criticized playoff numbers. Chet Holmgren, the burgeoning second-year center, has elevated his game, averaging 19.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks, anchoring the Thunder’s league-best defense. Josh Giddey has shown improved decision-making and shooting, contributing 14.3 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per contest.

Adding another layer of intrigue to their dominant start is the fact that the Thunder have achieved this without their second-best player, Jalen Williams, who is recovering from a minor knee injury sustained in the preseason and is expected to return in late November. Williams, a vital two-way wing, averaged 19.1 points and 4.5 assists in their championship season, and his absence has allowed other key players, such as Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins, to step into larger roles and gain valuable experience, further deepening the roster’s already impressive versatility. This speaks volumes about the team’s depth and the "next man up" mentality fostered by Daigneault and Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder’s bench unit, featuring players like Isaiah Joe, Kenrich Williams, and Ousmane Dieng, has consistently outplayed opposing reserves, providing crucial scoring punch and defensive energy.

The alignment in messaging and philosophy between Coach Daigneault and Gilgeous-Alexander is a foundational element of the Thunder’s sustained success. When the team’s MVP, Finals MVP, and undisputed leader demonstrates such a high degree of self-awareness and commitment to excellence, it creates an undeniable standard for the entire roster. This unwavering focus on improvement, even after reaching the pinnacle of the sport, ensures that the young Thunder remain hungry, driven, and determined to prove that their first championship was merely the beginning of a potentially historic run. Their upcoming schedule includes crucial matchups against the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks, tests that will further demonstrate their resolve to maintain their high standards. The pursuit of "our best basketball" is not just a goal for Gilgeous-Alexander; it has become the collective ethos driving the Oklahoma City Thunder.