Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is rewriting history! Crowned the 2024-25 NBA MVP, named to the All-NBA First Team for the third straight year, and now the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP, SGA is on a tear. His 34-point, 8-assist, 7-rebound masterclass in a 124-94 Game 5 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves on May 29, 2025, clinched OKC’s first NBA Finals trip since 2012. With a Finals showdown against the Indiana Pacers or New York Knicks set for June 5, can SGA become the first since Steph Curry in 2015 to win MVP and a championship in the same season? Let’s break down his epic playoff run and why OKC’s title dreams are alive.
SGA’s Playoff Dominance
Gilgeous-Alexander’s Western Conference Finals performance was a clinic, averaging 31.4 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 5.2 APG over five games against Minnesota. After a rare off-night in Game 3 (14 points, 4-of-13 FG), SGA roared back with a playoff-career-high 40 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds in a 128-126 Game 4 thriller, per NBA.com. He dropped 31 points in Game 1, 38 in Game 2, and sealed the series with 34 in Game 5, leading OKC to wins in all four 30+ point games. His 51.9% FG and 37.5% 3PT shooting, paired with 1.7 steals per game, made him a two-way nightmare. “It’s a really good feeling,” SGA told ESPN. “Stuff you dream about as a kid.” His poise after gifting teammates Rolexes for his MVP win shows why he’s the heart of OKC’s 68-14 juggernaut, which set an NBA-record +12.9 point differential.
The Road to the Finals
The Thunder’s path wasn’t easy. They outlasted Nikola Jokić’s Nuggets in a seven-game semifinal, with SGA’s 25 points and 9 free throws in a gritty Game 4 win, per Andscape. Now, OKC faces either the Pacers, led by Tyrese Haliburton’s triple-doubles, or the Knicks, powered by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ 20-point comebacks. OKC’s 78-17 overall record (.821 win percentage) and 14.1-point playoff margin rival the 1970-71 Bucks, per The Washington Post. SGA’s MVP edge—71 of 100 first-place votes over Jokić’s 29—came from leading the league’s best team and scoring title (32.7 PPG). With teammates like Jalen Williams (34 points in Game 4) and Chet Holmgren (21 points, 3 blocks), OKC’s young core is Finals-ready.
Can SGA Make History?
SGA joins Steph Curry (2022), Jokić (2023), and Luka Dončić (2024) as Western Conference Finals MVP winners since the award’s 2022 debut. Now, he’s chasing Curry’s 2015 feat: MVP and a ring in the same year. X posts from @okcthunder and @ShamsCharania highlight SGA’s “MVP performance” and leadership, gifting watches to teammates who fueled OKC’s 3-1 series lead. Whether facing Indy’s pace or New York’s grit, SGA’s clutch play—think 45 points vs. the Clippers or 32 in a 21-point Heat comeback—makes him the X-factor. Will he hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy? Check our YouTube Short for SGA’s slickest playoff moves and hit [Insert Blog Link Here] for Finals predictions. Who wins Game 1? Drop your pick in the comments!
