Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't just the reigning two-time MVP and the undisputed best player on the defending champion OKC Thunder, but, in this Western Conference Finals series against the Spurs, he's also arguably turning into the team's biggest wildcard.
Yes, this may sound like a truly egregious claim. After all, such a distinction is typically reserved for players who can be rather sporadic with their game and overall impact, and being SGA is Mr. "My whole life is consistent."
However, when taking into account his individual numbers and the outcome of Game 1 against San Antonio, it actually starts to shockingly add up.
Thunder need Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to tap back into MVP form
As things currently stand, Gilgeous-Alexander sports the lowest net on-off rating of any qualified player still active in the postseason at minus-35.6.
On top of this, over his last five outings, the superstar has seen his bread-and-butter scoring production slip to just 24.4 points per night (a drop-off of 6.7 from his regular-season averages) while shooting a mere 43.0 percent from the floor and 31.8 percent from deep.
His on-court slump was no more under the spotlight than during Monday's Game 1 against San Antonio, where he posted just 24 points on 30.4 percent shooting from the floor and 28.6 percent shooting from distance while coughing up five turnovers and a minus-15 plus-minus during Oklahoma City's 122-115 double-overtime loss.
Now, yes, a major reason for this latest underwhelming performance was, in large part, due to how the Spurs guarded him, with double-teams coming his way essentially as soon as he passed half court.
However, someone as historically great as he is when it comes to putting the ball in the basket shouldn't find himself amid such a lowly scoring streak, especially if the Thunder wish to become the league's first repeat champion in nearly a decade.
Though one of Gilgeous-Alexander's best qualities is his unselfish approach and the fact that he doesn't force things on the hardwood, now down 0-1 in this best-of-seven series, there's a growing case being made that he must now look to channel the Kobe Bryants of the world and bring himself into the game rather than simply let the game come to him.
This means using his speed to blow by defenders on a drive to the basket (something he flashed at times in the series opener), leaning into contact in hopes of drawing whistles to send him to the charity stripe, and doing virtually anything in his power to make sure that he has it going in the scoring department.
In a must-win Game 2, the Thunder need Gilgeous-Alexander to be the walking bucket he's historically established himself as, instead of what he's been over these last two rounds.
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