Thunder center Chet Holmgren drops ‘crazy’ reaction to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Game 4 takeover

The highlight of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s fourth-quarter barrage was when he made a difficult leaning midrange shot from the left baseline. Not only was it heavily contested, he also had to increase the arc on his shot to get it over the backboard — and yet he still made it.

This game continues to show that Gilgeous-Alexander is a bonafide top-five player in the NBA, as not only does he lift the team to victory when the moment calls for it, but he also makes those around him better players.

“He’s been doing it all year. I’ve seen him do it since I got here, and that’s just who he is. Tough-shot maker, but he does a lot more out there for us than just that,” Holmgren added.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s MVP in more ways than one

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s elite ability to put the ball through the basket is what separates him from most of his peers; he finished second in total points this past regular season thanks to his complete arsenal of moves, shiftiness off the bounce, top-tier ability to change pace, and his buttery touch, particularly from midrange.

But Gilgeous-Alexander’s playmaking isn’t to be slept on. He is a smart player who is willing to make the right play every single time. On Monday, that’s exactly what he did when he prevented the Thunder from going down 3-1 in the series.

After he scored eight straight points to tie the game against the Mavericks, Gilgeous-Alexander drew even more attention from the Mavericks defense than he already usually does. It was on him to make the correct pass, and make the correct pass he did. On back-to-back possessions, Gilgeous-Alexander found the open shooter, and Chet Holmgren and Luguentz Dort promptly drained those open looks, giving the Thunder a lead they would not relinquish.

Gilgeous-Alexander caught some flak in the aftermath of Game 3 for his poor shot selection towards the end of the game. He pulled up from deep with the Thunder down by three, which isn’t a bad idea by itself, but that attempt came with 17 seconds remaining on the shot clock. In Game 4, he responded by refusing to settle, as he took only one three-pointer (which he missed). It’s his ability to adjust under pressure that makes him one of the most difficult players to stop, especially in the context of a seven-game playoff series.

Chet Holmgren finds a way

For most of Game 4, the Mavericks made a concerted effort to make Chet Holmgren’s life a living hell . The Mavs crashed the glass with such ferocity, with Dereck Lively II being quite physical with the Thunder big man. Holmgren, however, was undeterred.

Despite crashing to the floor on multiple occasions in the fourth, it was Holmgren who hit the go-ahead triple that put the Thunder up for good. He finished Game 4 with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks, and he made six of his nine shots from the floor.

The Thunder may need more scoring volume from Holmgren moving forward, especially with Jalen Williams currently mired in a cold spell. But the 22-year old center is showing that he is not afraid of the limelight.