Mussatto: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has passed last test by proving himself in NBA playoffs

Think of all the arbitrary benchmarks we’ve set for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander since he graced these plains in the summer of 2019.

Can he be a No. 1 option? No one knew for sure until Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder were shipped away after the bubble season. Then we found out.

Yeah, but can he be a No. 1 option on a good team? Sure can. What about a multi-time All-Star? Check.

An MVP? A top-five player in the game? No one was even considering those outcomes back then. Now here he is, fresh off back-to-back top-five MVP finishes.

Really, only one question remained.

Can he do it in the playoffs?

Whether the Thunder’s season ends Saturday in Dallas or with a water taxi parade down the Bricktown Canal, Gilgeous-Alexander has answered that final question with a definitive “yes.” 

The Thunder not only has its superstar, it has a superstar whose fingers can shape a playoff game, a playoff series, without the slightest of tremble.

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In a season that’s been an unequivocal success no matter if the Thunder makes it past the Mavs or not, Gilgeous-Alexander’s ascension as a playoff deity is yet another reason for Thunder fans to pinch themselves. Or not. Because who would want to wake up from this dream?

Dallas has been the better team in the Western Conference semifinal series, leading the Thunder 3-2, but Gilgeous-Alexander has been the best player. Better than Luka Doncic. Better than Kyrie Irving. And in a different stratosphere than any of his teammates, which, sure, two-thirds of the Thunder’s Big Three had never played in the playoffs until a few weeks ago.

But what’s crazy about SGA’s performance, particularly in Round 2, is that he hasn’t been here either. He got playoff reps as a rookie and sophomore with the Clippers and Thunder, but not until this spring had he been the No. 1 guy on a playoff team.

Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t great in Round 1 against the Pelicans, but the Thunder didn’t need him to be in the four-game sweep.

The Thunder has needed every ounce of SGA’s wizardry against the Mavericks, and SGA has brought it. Every game.

Third quarter, Game 1: Gilgeous-Alexander nails a step-back 3-pointer, which prompts Mavericks coach Jason Kidd to call timeout. Out of the timeout, Gilgeous-Alexander drills another 3-pointer. Another quick-strike step-back from above the break. Thunder wins 117-95.

Fourth quarter, Game 2: Gilgeous-Alexander slices through the Mavericks defense, finishing an up-and-under at the rim to bring the Thunder within five. SGA leads OKC in points (33), rebounds (12) and assists (8). Thunder loses 119-110.

Fourth quarter, Game 3: Gilgeous-Alexander records his fifth block of the game, swatting a P.J. Washington layup that would’ve given the Mavericks a two-possession lead with a minute to play. Thunder loses 105-101.

Fourth quarter, Game 4: Gilgeous-Alexander buries a baseline jumper from behind the backboard. “Oh, that’s ridiculous!” TNT play-by-play man Ian Eagle exclaims. “Shai Gilgeous-Alexander! In. His. Bag.” Thunder wins 100-96.

Third quarter, Game 5: Gilgeous-Alexander attacks Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy off the bounce. Hardy, helpless against SGA, is called for a blocking foul. As Gilgeous-Alexander feels the contact, he lobs an eight-foot prayer toward the rim. It goes in. Thunder loses 104-92.

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For the series, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.4 points on 50/47/88 shooting splits. Doncic is the second-leading scorer in the series at 23.8 points. That’s more a tip of the cap to Lu Dort than an indictment on Doncic, who’s also been hobbled, but still.

SGA’s nine rebounds per game are a team high. Chet Holmgren is second with 6.8. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 5.5 rebounds in the regular season.

SGA’s assists are also up. From 6.2 assists per game in the regular season to 7.2 this series.

He’s averaging 3.8 steals plus blocks per game this series. In the regular season? 2.9. And this was the best defensive season of his career.

Among players still alive in the playoffs, Gilgeous-Alexander’s player efficiency rating is third best behind Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards. SGA also ranks third, again behind Jokic and Edwards, in box plus/minus and value over replacement player.

Gilgeous-Alexander has put up absurd numbers with even more absurd efficiency despite not getting to his regular spots.

Between Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, the Mavericks have done a spectacular job in keeping SGA out of the very place he wants to be. The paint.

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In the regular season, points in the paint accounted for 47.5% of all of SGA’s points. This series, that number has plummeted to 36.9%.

Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting just 12 of 23 (52%) at the rim this series. He’s 29 of 59 (49%) in the paint overall.

But on non-paint 2s (21 of 41) and above-the-break 3s (7 of 13), not the most efficient of shots, Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot chart is cash green.

More than a quarter of SGA’s points (26%) this series have come in the midrange. Midrange points accounted for 15% of his points in the regular season. Often, spinning baseline jumpers, turnarounds from the elbow and off-balance floaters from SGA have been the Thunder’s best offense.

Gilgeous-Alexander has carried the Thunder this series, and he’ll likely have to do so again for the Thunder to steal Game 6.

No matter the result, Gilgeous-Alexander has proven his star shines equally bright in the playoffs as it does in the regular season.

And with that, we’re all out of questions.

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Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has proven his greatness in NBA playoffs