Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Singles Out 1 Teammate After Pivotal Game 5 Win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says the Oklahoma City Thunder would not have won Game 5 without Chet Holmgren.
The defending champions moved one win away from a return to the NBA Finals. They defeated the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 at Paycom Center on Tuesday. Oklahoma City now leads the Western Conference finals, 3-2.
Gilgeous-Alexander paced the Thunder with 32 points and nine assists. In a postgame interview, the two-time MVP made sure to give credit where it was due. He singled out Holmgren for a bounce-back performance when it mattered most.
"Chet has all the tools," Gilgeous-Alexander said of the Thunder center. "Everybody in our building knows that he's a hell of a player.
"As a player, you gotta have your ups and downs, but I don't worry about Chet just because I know how much he loves the game, just how much he cares, and how much he works. He'll figure it out no matter what it looks like. He'd get to it.
"I'd bet on Chet ten times out of ten, and he proved why I'd bet on him tonight."
SGA (32 PTS, 9 AST) praises Chet (16 PTS, 11 REB) for his performance in Game 5!
— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2026
OKC takes a 3-2 series lead in the West Finals https://t.co/8g3cLh8gwmpic.twitter.com/un2AOW2s3a
Holmgren has spent much of this series operating in the shadow of Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama. The pair of seven-footers have tracked each other since before the NBA.
The Frenchman has outplayed Holmgren throughout this series, holding him to just 11.3 points and 6.0 rebounds through the first four games. Game 5 was different.
Holmgren delivered a strong double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. He shot 6-of-9 from the field with one steal and one block in 30 minutes. Frontcourt mate Isaiah Hartenstein also delivered a monster outing, posting 12 points and 15 rebounds. He held Wembanyama to 26.7% from the field as his primary defender.
One more win sends Oklahoma City to face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. Gilgeous-Alexander knows a repeat title runs through Holmgren, and the center delivered when it counted most.
Related: Victor Wembanyama Not Letting Up After Spurs Even Thunder Series 2-2
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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 7:02 AM.