Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander credited the San Antonio Spurs as “the better team” in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
The Spurs claimed a 111-103 victory Saturday in Oklahoma City to advance to the NBA Finals.
“They were just the better team tonight, from start to finish,” Gilgeous-Alexander said Saturday night. “And then every time we tried to cut into it, and take control of the game, I felt like they had an answer. And a lot of times it felt like it was tough shot-making, so hats off to them.”
Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 35 points on 12-for-21 shooting from the field while going 9-for-11 from the foul line in the Game 7 loss.
Victor Wembanyama, who was later named Western Conference Finals MVP, helped the Spurs close out the win with 22 points and seven rebounds.
Gilgeous-Alexander said after the loss he felt Wembanyama and the Spurs could go on to win a title over the New York Knicks.
“They’re young, talented, well-coached, play the right way, play together,” Gilgeous-Alexander said about the Spurs. “Seems like they like each other.
“They have the makeup for sure. You don’t beat us without the makeup, and they beat us, so they have the makeup to go get one.”
That’s a more flattering description of the Spurs than that provided by the Thunder’s Cason Wallace, who described San Antonio after Game 7 as a “good” but “beatable” team.
The Thunder spent most of the postseason without Jalen Williams, who was sidelined for Game 7 with a lingering hamstring injury.
Oklahoma City had an opportunity to close out the series in Game 6, but was unable to hold the Spurs back from claiming consecutive victories to win the West.
Saturday’s loss could mark the final game for some of the Thunder’s current players if general manager Sam Presti looks to make tweaks around the team’s core of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Chet Holmgren this offseason.
When asked Saturday if he planned to weigh in on those decisions, Gilgeous-Alexander expressed faith in Presti to guide the team forward.
“I will give zero input,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I will let Sam Presti, the greatest GM ever, do his job.”
Gilgeous-Alexander also reaffirmed his commitment to the Thunder, with which he is currently signed through the 2030-31 season after agreeing to a four-year extension following Oklahoma City’s 2025 title win.
“Oklahoma really feels like home for me and my family, and there’s no place in the country we’d rather be, and live, and raise a child, and build your family and things like that,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Community’s amazing. We’ll need them again next year, and the year after that.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA MVP for a second straight regular season after averaging 31.1 points per regular-season game for the Thunder. He will finish the postseason having averaged 27.6 points through 15 playoff games.
