Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - NBA Playoffs - Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder
Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
In the past few years during the NBA Postseason, Minnesota Timberwolves fans have watched — and often loathed — a multitude of opposing superstars, many of whom have a way of drawing out a wide variety of negative emotions, locally.
One of the early irritants was Dillon Brooks, when he played for Memphis and they battled the Minnesota Timberwolves in two straight NBA Play-In Tournaments. Last year, we grew frustrated with how impossible Nikola Jokic is to stop, no matter which avenue you choose to slow him down. Then, there’s Luka Doncic and his constant whining to officials… etc.
But through two games of the 2024-25 Western Conference Finals, the NBA’s newly-named Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has quickly made us all miss Luka’s patented hands up, crybaby face and Joker’s artistic abilities as a big man.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ruining basketball
No matter how crazy those things once drove us, they did not ruin the game of basketball for everybody watching. The same cannot be said for Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s phony superpower to deceive NBA referees made him into the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player.
SGA GRABS the defenders arm and gets 2 free throws 💀 pic.twitter.com/tfMbQkOUr2
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) May 23, 2025
They called this a foul on Jaden McDaniels. Shai’s steps right in between his legs and pulls his foot back against Jaden’s foot. There’s no contact. Shai is pushing him with his arm and generates all the contact. pic.twitter.com/v0ZqjeufA9
— will jones ⚒️ (@Will_d_jones) May 21, 2025
The way SGA initiates contact with defenders, then flops to the ground, in order to draw a foul, makes the beautiful game of basketball into a maddening broadway play starring SGA and what appears a hypnotic spell that he holds over NBA refs night in and night out.
Sure, the Minnesota Timberwolves have played like crap through two games, including two devastating third quarters that have pretty much ended both contests early. And what these OKC Thunder sympathizers all simultaneously argue is correct. Playing against Shai and the Thunder is a mental and physical grind.
Related: Timberwolves Big Man Rudy Gobert Narrowly Makes Another NBA All-Defensive Team
What pundits and former players like Jason Williams (ESPN) and Brendan Haywood (NBA TV) refuse to acknowledge, however, is that OKC’s swarming defense is only a part of that maddening equation. In fact, I’d argue it is a small percentage of what wears down Thunder opponents… but here are the arguments anyway.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranks 23rd in free throw attempts among players who averaged 30+ PPG since 2005 — and just 10th among the last 20 MVPs
Maybe the ‘foul merchant’ talk is overblown 😬
pic.twitter.com/t6QvdqAMbh
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 22, 2025
** Free-Throw Merchant MVP**
They called it greatness when MJ, Kobe & LeBron did it. Now it’s fraud when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does? Wild. pic.twitter.com/sUzUkYj5PD
— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) May 23, 2025
Toss out whatever stats and free throw numbers you want, guys. All of the evidence is right there in front of us while the game is unfolding. Much of Shai’s greatness is built on his foul-baiting mastermind capabilities. The numbers all become irrelevant when you watch just one game.
‘The Minnesota Timberwolves are crumbling under OKC’s defensive pressure…’
This one is my favorite. The idea that Minnesota can’t mentally withstand the toll OKC put on defensively for 48 minutes. Come on, have we all forgotten that the Timberwolves haven’t taken care of the basketball all year.
Now, we are supposed to believe that turnovers vs the Thunder are suddenly driving the Minnesota Timberwolves off a mental ledge in the Western Conference Finals? That this is somehow the first time these professional basketball players have been pressed and suffocated by opportunistic defenders during the course of their basketball lives?
Thankfully, some sanity still remains in this world. Not everyone who watches these games is buying into the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander propaganda machine. There are some, like former Denver Nuggets coach Mike Malone, who have realized what is happening. Here’s Malone after game one, then again after game two.
"[Shai] showed why he's the MVP."
Mike Malone, former coach of the Denver Nuggets, calls SGA the MVP 👀 pic.twitter.com/v8J4m4QOil
— Underdog (@Underdog) May 21, 2025
Malone: "It's almost impossible. A lot of times offensive players like Shai will initiate the contact or hook his arm looking to draw that contact. He is a foul artist" https://t.co/Kr8ODLnZd6 pic.twitter.com/a1MvBKDT13
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 23, 2025
Mike Malone, others not buy Shai Gilgeous-Alexander propaganda
Have at that mainstream narrative if you want it. But to me, the only thing noticeably different about playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder — as opposed to other teams, at any and all levels of the game — is the referee whistle that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets, compared to anyone else who as played… ever.
Then, let’s toss in the physicality OKC plays defense with — along with the calls Minnesota isn’t getting on the other end — and yeah, there is going to be a high level of frustration building up, especially for those tasked with the impossible responsibility of limiting Shai. Just ask Jaden McDaniels…
Jaden is all of us. We are Jaden. pic.twitter.com/GFyBO3D6tf
— John Meyer (@meyerNBA) May 23, 2025
Jaden McDaniels on his flagrant call after shoving Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander:
"I just wanted to foul him. I wasn't even mad I just had fouls to use" pic.twitter.com/8bVd7cHHKY
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) May 23, 2025
Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Star Anthony Edwards Fined Again
Others obviously see it too (including Naz Reid). Hell, all you need is two working eyeballs, something referees clearly do not have when they officiate a game including SGA.
Naz Reid to the OKC Thunder 👀
“Stop flopping, That’s bad hoop bro.” pic.twitter.com/SQZD3uehPF
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) May 23, 2025
Is it safe to say that Shai has passed prime Harden as a generational free throw merchant? Grabbing a defenders arm and getting free throws is CRAZY work 🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/sK2YzsdpLy
— Jacob (@Jacobtheclipper) May 23, 2025
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ruining basketball.
And no matter the stat you show me, it won’t take away from what I watched last night. pic.twitter.com/FPkTezlg1J
— Leighton James (@LGlodek) May 21, 2025
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