Shai Gilgeous-Alexander picked a brutal night to have one of his quietest games of the season for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder star scored only 15 points against the Spurs, shooting 6-for-18 while adding just one rebound and four assists.
It was his lowest scoring mark since May 2025, but another number made the defeat look even more alarming.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Game 6 nightmare brings Joel Embiid stat back
According to ESPN, Gilgeous-Alexander’s minus-28 plus-minus tied Joel Embiid in 2023 for the lowest mark by an NBA MVP in a clinching opportunity in the play-by-play era.
That means the record stretches back to 1997, making it a grim statistical place for the back-to-back MVP to land.
The Thunder did not collapse through Gilgeous-Alexander alone. Isaiah Hartenstein also finished with a minus-25 plus-minus, underlining how badly Oklahoma City’s rotation struggled.
San Antonio took advantage and pushed the series to an exciting Game 7 in Oklahoma City, which is set for Saturday, 30 May.
The Thunder also had another concern around Jalen Williams, who played only 10 minutes in the 118-91 defeat. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Williams left the arena without speaking to the media after a rough return.
That detail matters because Oklahoma City need more than Gilgeous-Alexander’s response. They need their supporting cast to look settled again under pressure.
Read more:
