Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled in the Western Conference finals opener Monday night, falling short of the MVP standard he was celebrated for just hours earlier. The Thunder star, after receiving his second straight MVP trophy in a pregame ceremony, acknowledged his letdown.
Gilgeous-Alexander did not meet his own lofty expectations in the thrilling loss to the Spurs. 'I have to be better,' he said, directly addressing his performance.
The context of the evening—an MVP presentation before tip-off—added pressure, but the guard refused to use the ceremony as an excuse. The defeat puts Oklahoma City in an early series hole against a San Antonio team that has been relentless in the playoffs.
For the Thunder, the path forward hinges on their star returning to form. The team needs its leader to shake off the disappointment and refocus quickly as the series progresses.
The Spurs, meanwhile, capitalized on every opportunity. They now hold home-court advantage, having stolen Game 1 on the road and placing the onus on Gilgeous-Alexander to respond in Game 2.