The Athletic has live coverage of Spurs vs. Thunder in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Western Conference final.

SAN ANTONIO — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tends to think for a beat before answering. It takes a moment to conjure how to be simultaneously thoughtful, calculated, transparent and mysterious.

But when asked about how to get Chet Holmgren going, after the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 4 win Sunday to even the series, SGA’s pre-answer processing lasted noticeably longer. The silence between “ums” banged like an indicting gavel. He rubbed his chin and squinted his eyes while rummaging his mind for the words.

It took 14 seconds for Gilgeous-Alexander to find his answer for increasing Holmgren’s involvement on offense.

“I mean, Chet’s an easy target to find,” the two-time MVP said eventually. “So, probably just, like, finding him more in the dunker (spot), and when he’s spacing. Just put him in better positions to use his strengths as an offensive talent. Um, I don’t know exactly what that looks like because I just got done playing. But watching film, we’ll find ways for sure.”

See, that wasn’t so hard.

Except that wasn’t the answer. And SGA knows it wasn’t.

That’s not to put words in his mouth he never uttered, but instead to acknowledge SGA’s genius as it pertains to hoop. As we were made acutely aware, he knows what a pro needs. Putting Holmgren in particular spots on the floor won’t magically solve his struggles. Positioning certainly doesn’t explain why Holmgren’s averaging 11.3 points on 46.9 percent shooting in this series — which is a 6-point drop in scoring and a near 10 percent drop in field goal percentage from his regular-season averages. His current production looks even worse compared with the last series against the Los Angeles Lakers, when he averaged 20 points on 60.8 percent shooting.

The biggest reason did not make SGA’s answer.

The Thunder players won’t talk about this candidly. For one, they’re not the kind of team to publicly call out each other. Their brotherhood was fashioned differently. But also because what’s understood doesn’t need to be explained. And everyone understands what’s happening.

Victor Wembanyama is owning Chet Holmgren.

Holmgren shouldn’t be shamed for being outplayed by Wembanyama. No glory gets lost in being bested by a player so unique and transcendent that Spurs fans show up to games dressed like extras in “Mars Attacks.”

But in a battle of slender big men, in this era where post presence is increasingly measured by length as much as girth, Holmgren is disappearing behind Wembanyama. The absence of Jalen Williams — and the loss of Ajay Mitchell for Game 4 — highlights that reality for the Oklahoma City Thunder. In neon.

The Thunder’s problem: Holmgren hasn’t quite made it a battle, not one worthy of a showdown between All-NBA players.

But with the Western Conference finals now a best-of-three series, and the Thunder reclaiming home-court advantage, Holmgren can still leave his imprint. The Thunder needs him to make it a battle against Wemby.

Holmgren topped out at 14 points in Game 3. In OKC’s two losses, he totaled 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting. He’s being outscored in this series by Alex Caruso and Jared McCain. Holmgren’s taken just four more shots than Cason Wallace. Backup big Jaylin Williams made nearly as many 3s (eight) as Holmgren has taken (nine). Holmgren leads the Thunder in paint touches in this series but ranks eighth in points per paint touch.

Holmgren made third-team All-NBA because he’s critical to Oklahoma City’s two-way potency. We know he’s got it in him.

Time to fight back, Chet. Simple as that.

“I think no matter what I do out there,” Holmgren said after Game 4, “I always expect more out of myself, expect better. I can see a lot of opportunities in the game where I have to be better and take advantage of, and I’m gonna do everything I can to do that.”

Often, these head-up comparisons are oversimplifications. Strengths, positions and schemes render them but virtual squabbles — such as how this series pits MVP finalists Wemby and SGA against each other. It’s really a measurement of who is better at dominating because these two don’t face off enough to make an earnest clash.

But Wembanyama and Holmgren? They play in the front court and could play the same position for significant stretches of the game. They also have history, a rivalry that dates to their teenage FIBA battles as touted talents. Even more importantly, Wembanyama makes it a thing with his blatant competitive aggressiveness toward Holmgren.

It seemed Holmgren entered Game 4 ready to match that energy. Not even 90 seconds into the game, he reacted instinctively with a 45 cut on a Wallace drive. Wallace, driving into Wembanyama, made the dish to his slashing 7-footer. Wembanyama rotated, and, in a blink, the game delivered a moment between them.

To his credit, Holmgren didn’t back down. He did what he was supposed to do: try to put Wembanyama in the rim. Holmgren took off outside the restricted area with two hands and tried to dunk over the freshly minted Defensive Player of the Year.

But Wemby knew exactly who was trying to put him on a poster. He hasn’t missed a moment to dance with Holmgren — whether he’s isolated on Holmgren at the top or challenging Holmgren’s attacks on the rim.

Wembanyama blocked the dunk, falling back onto the hardwood. While he was down, he raised his right fist in the air.

But the key for Oklahoma City? Holmgren went at him. He can’t stop doing that. Holmgren, according to NBA Courtside, took just five shots with Wembanyama as the defender in the first four games. Conversely, Wembanyama went 4-of-9 against Holmgren in Game 1 — though that’s been reduced to 0-of-3 against Holmgren over the last three games.

He can’t settle for being a complementary player. He can’t be taken out of this series. He’s gotta close the gap between him and Wemby.

This series heads to territories where game plans and familiarity start solving role players. Caruso played well enough to garner conference finals MVP consideration after making 12 of 18 wide-open 3s in the first three games. But in Game 4, he missed the only shot he took in 14 minutes of action. Jared McCain, after dazzling in Game 3, had arguably the worst shooting performance of his young career, missing all five of his 3s while shooting 1 of 10 from the field. But the truth is, they’ve done their part.

Game 5 overflows with pressure. The stakes ratchet up the intensity. These games tend to require a higher level. Stars must shine.

Holmgren is a star. He must, for the sake of the Thunder’s repeat, for the continued construction of the Oklahoma City dynasty, shine like one.

“Chet doesn’t care about anything besides winning, and he’s gonna do what it takes to win,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s his biggest skill … no ego. No agenda. No nothing besides trying to go out there and win. I have no doubt in my mind that Chet will go out there and give the game his all and put (in) his full effort. And that’s all you can ask from guys. Go out there and give it their all and see where it takes.”

Holmgren doesn’t deserve condemnation. This series can’t be considered a referendum of any kind. Rough series happen. Some matchups present real problems. At 23, he might have a few more of these rough ones.

But it doesn’t lessen the Thunder’s need for him now. And it’s not enough to turn up the aggressiveness when Wembanyama sits. That’s only nine minutes per game and likely to decrease as the series progresses.

No, Holmgren must get his with Wembanyama on the court — even if it means doing it against Wembanyama.

That’s what SGA didn’t say during that pregnant pause.