If the Oklahoma City Thunder are to defend their championship, they will need their Big 3 to not just fire in unison, but step things up a few notches, too. The West has always been competitive, but with the transfers that took place in the summer, the OKC could be in for a bumpy ride through the regular season.
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Ominously for the fans at Oklahoma, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander haven’t had the greatest start to the 2025-26 season. Yes, the Thunder beat the Houston Rockets on opening night. But the 125-124 double overtime victory was anything but easy.
Reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander struggled to find rhythm, especially in the first half of the game, scoring just five points before the break. Shai picked up, though, and finished with 35. He also landed two free throws with 2.3 seconds left in the second extra period to seal the win.
SGA admitted to the struggle in a post-game interview, adding that while the win did feel rusty, it was a win regardless. The OKC fans would also be happy that Shai, despite being off his mark on game night, promised that he is not going to abandon his aggressive pursuit of the net. And the point guard will need that aggression if he wants to prove Reggie Miller right.
The Pacers legend has predicted a hell of a season from the OKC superstar. On the Dan Patrick Show, the host asked Miller how he saw the season going for Gilgeous-Alexander. Without missing a beat, he replied, “Well, he averaged 32 a year ago.”
The OKC would want their title defense to be more of a team effort than a one-man freak show, for sure. But SGA’s form matters a lot, too, and Miller believes the reigning MVP could very well smoke his previous season’s record.
“I think he [Shai] could average 35, easy, just because of his skillset. I think the number will come down a little bit. I think it will be high early because Jalen Williams, second second-best player on the team, is out with a wrist injury,” said Miller.
“I think his scoring is going to be up till J Dubs comes back. But I think they would like that number from anywhere between 28 to 30-31 points because less is more. But this dude is such a gifted playmaker and scorer, he’s got it all,” asserted the 5x All-Star.
When Dan Patrick reminded Miller that SGA isn’t in the top-50 when it comes to 3-pointers, Miller argued that, “He can knock them down, but he’s a throwback, he’s an old school type player who likes to get to the mid-range. And, as we know, come playoff time, what’s more effective when the game becomes a half-court game.”
According to Miller, while the 3-pointers are all the rage in the regular season, playoff basketball is a different proposition. “And for a player that is so young at the age of 27, to recognize that, and again, he does have a 3-point shot. He just doesn’t shoot the volume of them like a lot of players do. He understands where his bread is buttered,” Miller claimed.
That is high praise and expectation indeed. Now, while a 35 PPG season does sound a bit much, Miller is right. It wouldn’t be surprising to see SGA at least get in the ballpark. The OKC Thunder will certainly be hoping that he does, too.
