Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's performance has been a focal point in recent games, showcasing his ability to turn deficits into victories for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Game 4 of the Finals, he scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to overcome a seven-point deficit. In Game 7, he exemplified teamwork by assisting his peers, culminating in a playoff career-high of 12 assists. His leadership on the court highlights the importance of a star player fostering team synergy, contributing to the Thunder's resilience and ultimately their triumph in the series.
It's an economic principle based on the idea that overall financial prosperity ultimately benefits all participants. And while I have reservations on that theory, mainly based on the fact that not all parties benefit equally, I do find the idiom fascinating in a basketball sense.
Think back to the now-champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the NBA Finals - swinging a seven-point deficit into a seven-point win on the back of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 15 points in the final frame. OKC won that game despite losing each of the first three quarters.
Fast forward to Game 7, and it was the Hamilton, Ont. native understanding how necessary it was to have his peers rise to the occasion alongside him. After splashing his first triple of the game early in the third, SGA followed it up with a pair of assists on back-to-back threes.
Although SGA finished with 29 points on a not-so-hot 8-of-27 shooting, his ability to feel momentum and spark those around him on the biggest stage... will be a large part of what's remembered from the series-clinching victory.
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