Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Addresses 17 Free Throws After Thunder's Game 1 Win Over Suns
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder showed the Phoenix Suns why they are the defending champions on Sunday. The Thunder had a 119-84 win over the Suns in Game 1, a dominant win for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
It was a collective effort by the team, especially on defense. They had 13 steals in the night, setting the tone on physicality and grit. The team also forced the Suns to 17 turnovers.
Offensively, SGA led the team with his 25 points on 27.8% shooting from the field. Although he struggled to make shots on the floor, he made the most of his trips to the free-throw line. He attempted 17 shots at the charity stripe and made 15.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Played Cool When Talking About His Free Throws
During his postgame presser, SGA was asked what goes into drawing fouls, creating contact and opportunities at the free throw line.
"When you drive the ball a lot, you get fouled a lot just because most of the fouls happen on drives and I drive the ball a lot… that probably adds up to it," Gilgeous-Alexander said.
"I've just tried to get better at many aspects over the years I've been in the league and try to able to attack team's defenses in multiple ways. I feel like I've done so, I've been able to score a few points because of it."
Shai on his free throws:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 19, 2026
"When you drive the ball a lot, you get fouled a lot just because most of the fouls happen on drives and I drive the ball a lot" pic.twitter.com/3DV7TtcKAi
Gilgeous-Alexander was the only player on the team to shoot more than five free throws. However, the Thunder still finished with more attempts from the line compared to the Suns. OKC had 23 shots, while Phoenix had 18, and Devin Booker had the most for the team, with seven attempts.
SGA's efficient night at the free throw line helped the Thunder to take an early 1-0 lead in their first-round series. Although he couldn't find his stroke, the team relied on the tandem of Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.
Holmgren had 16 points and seven rebounds on 50.0% shooting. Williams, meanwhile, had 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists on 60.0%. The one-time MVP credited his co-stars for stepping up and expects nothing less from them.
"They were good," he said. "They just played to their identity and then stepped outside of it. Both of those guys, any given night, affect the game at a high level… There's no secret sauce, secret formula, just two really good basketball players being themselves and helping the team win at a high level."
The Thunder has a deep roster that has helped SGA whenever he has poor shooting performances.
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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 6:30 PM.