After the Oklahoma City Thunder secured their place in the Western Conference Finals, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander humorously referenced a viral photo of himself smiling in an Instagram post. In the caption, he noted, 'They thought I was whyling when I was smiling.' This moment gained notoriety following the Thunder's 113-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of their playoff series, which temporarily placed Oklahoma City at a 2-1 deficit.

Following the game, Gilgeous-Alexander addressed the reactions from fans who were taunting him during the match. 'I know how the game goes, I know how life is,' he remarked to reporters, emphasizing his perspective on maintaining composure in challenging situations. 'It's easy to taunt when you're up, and I don't ever want to show them that I'm defeated or mad or anything like that. Nothing's written. The series is not over and we have a lot to be optimistic about.' His comments highlighted his resilience and outlook as the series progressed.

The three-time All-Star concluded the series with impressive averages of 30.8 points and 5.8 assists over the final four games. A standout performance came during Game 7, where he scored 35 points, contributing to Oklahoma City's decisive 125-93 victory over the Nuggets. In addition to his scoring, Gilgeous-Alexander recorded four assists and three steals while shooting 12-of-19 from the field. With this win, the Thunder advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016 and will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, seeking to move closer to an appearance in the NBA Finals.