For the second year in a row, the OKC Thunder find themselves heading to the Western Conference Semifinals fresh off a first-round sweep, as they took care of business in a gritty, series-closing Game 4 showdown against the Grizzlies.
While the outcome of the contest ultimately proved to be the same for Oklahoma City as it has throughout these 2025 NBA Playoffs, their way of getting there was certainly not, for, excitingly enough, Saturday's matinee out in Memphis was one spearheaded by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Leading up to Game 4, it was quite evident that the Thunder cornerstone had been struggling to find his rhythm on the floor, particularly on the offensive end where he was posting per-game averages of just 24.3 points (8.4 fewer than his regular season mark) on a wildly inefficient 35.3 percent shooting from the floor and 25.0 percent shooting from deep.
Fortunately for both him and OKC, his supporting cast of Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Alex Caruso managed to hold down the fort during his slump, and in turn, had this team up 3-0 heading into the weekend.
Despite this overall team success, however, Gilgeous-Alexander was still rather outspoken about how he's actively been looking to "pick it up" when it comes to his on-court production.
With Saturday's performance, it seems that the 26-year-old managed to do exactly this and just in the nick of time, no less.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander breaks out of slump at perfect time for Thunder
In what was easily the most closely contested game of this West quarterfinals matchup, Gilgeous-Alexander's slump-snapping contributions were greatly appreciated.
During his 38 minutes of action, SGA reminded the masses why he's currently viewed as the league's MVP frontrunner, as he paced all players in points with 38 on 54.2 percent shooting from the field (both his best finishes in this year's postseason) while adding 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block.
Following their 117-115 triumph out in Memphis, the point guard acknowledged in his post-game press conference that he has not been playing to the level that many expect him to throughout this first round.
However, during his presser, he noted that his "mental development" over the years has kept him from sinking into despair amid the slump and, in turn, he has remained ready for when his team needs him most.
Without question, his breakout in Saturday's series closer was much-needed and, frankly, could not have come at a more perfect time.
Hopefully this momentum can carry on over into round two!