The defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder were not able to give themselves the chance for a repeat this season, as they fell at home to the San Antonio Spurs, 111-103, on Saturday in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.
The back-to-back league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, did everything he could to help his team reach the NBA Finals once again, but it wasn’t enough. He played a game-high 43 minutes, leading all scorers with 35 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the floor to go along with four rebounds, nine assists and three steals. He also went 9-of-11 from the free throw line.
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) against the San Antonio Spurs.© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Gilgeous-Alexander has spent the past seven seasons with the Thunder, helping them transition from a team that finished last in its division for two straight years to an NBA champion-winning squad.
After the loss in Game 7, he spoke about the upcoming offseason for Oklahoma City and whether he will have any input on the decisions that Thunder general manager Sam Presti makes.
“I will give zero input,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per ESPN. “I will let Sam Presti, the greatest GM ever, do his job.”
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Presti and the Thunder will have lots of decisions to make this offseason, as Oklahoma City holds three picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team also has multiple contract options on contributing players, including Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort and Jared McCain.
Another factor that the Thunder will have to deal with is the fact that Chet Holmgren‘s and Jalen Williams‘ max contract extensions will both go into affect next year, which will cost Oklahoma City $41.25 million each.
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While Gilgeous-Alexander may not be helping make the offseason decisions, there’s no doubt the Thunder will continue to build around last year’s Finals MVP for years to come.
Related: Victor Wembanyama Breaks Down in Tears After Spurs-Thunder Game 7
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.