Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s rich vein of form has the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder poised to finish as the first seed for the second consecutive season.
The guard had high praise coming his way after the Thunder’s 116-103 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves at Paycom Center. NBA champion Kendrick Perkins was generous with his compliments, comparing Gilgeous-Alexander to the greatest pop stars of all time.
Kendrick Perkins Calls Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the ‘Michael Jackson of Basketball’
Speaking on ESPN’s NBA Countdown, Perkins dished out the flowers for the Thunder mainstay. “He is the Michael Jackson of basketball,” the former Boston Celtics center said. “He’s an artist, and every album he puts out every year goes diamond. I have never seen a guard this efficient in my entire life.”
At the time of writing, the Canadian superstar is on track to win his second consecutive NBA MVP award. He leads the Thunder with 31.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 54.9% from the field, 38.5% from the three-point line, and 89.4% from the free-throw line.
Gilgeous-Alexander is second in the league in scoring, behind Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić. What gives the former the edge is how his efforts as a consistent 30-point metronome have helped the Thunder take firm control of the West as the first seed.
The guard has two double-doubles in his last five games, with the latest being a 20-point, 10-assist performance against the Timberwolves. His last five games have him averaging 28.6 points, 9.4 assists, and 5.2 rebounds.
Draymond Green Also Backs SGA for MVP
Earlier, Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green said he believed Gilgeous-Alexander was already a lock for MVP over Dončić and Nikola Jokić. “He is for sure the MVP now,” Green said on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show.
“I think as great as Joker has been, I don’t think he’s done anything to where it was like, ‘Oh, that’s the moment where it completely shifted from Shai to Joker.’ Joker’s been great. Obviously, we know how great he is, but I don’t think he’s done anything to necessarily take it away from Shai as far as the MVP award goes. So I think right now, it definitely is Shai.”
Thunder Rolling Toward Postseason
While the MVP debate rages on, the Thunder will be finishing the season as the top seed. They are currently 53-15 and the only team in the league to cross 50 wins this season.
Their eight-game win streak is the second-best active streak in the NBA, behind only the Atlanta Hawks’ nine-game run. Oklahoma City has been dominant in both their home and away games, winning 29 and 24 games, respectively.
With 14 games remaining, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder hit the road for a five-game Eastern Conference trip. They play the Orlando Magic at Kia Center on Tuesday, March 17.
