Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a strong night. His 31 points led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a dominant win in the Western Conference Finals opener over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Unfortunately, the shine from that win was dimmed by SGA’s effort to draw fouls. Doris Burke, on the game’s telecast, went as far as to call him a “foul merchant” after several trips to the line in the first quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander may want to mute his X mentions after his foul-baiting tactics went viral. NBA fans (and even some analysts) aren’t impressed. But is it fair to criticize the MVP candidate?
‘He’s No MVP’ – Fans Torch Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Content creator Dominique Clare voiced his frustration on social media at SGA’s repeated efforts to draw fouls.
He’s a foul manipulator
— Parlays R Us (@baehelpparlay)
It’s tough that the biggest conversation after Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is about the star flopping. Former radio host and current Minnesota Vikings beat writer Matthew Coller also joked in a tweet, “Somehow I just fouled SGA from my couch.”
There were several questionable touch fouls called in Gilgeous-Alexander’s favor in Game 1, many of which probably didn’t need to be called. In some plays, he tripped on his own and still got to the line.
Bill Simmons, host of a popular NBA podcast, posted on X, “The touch foul calls SGA gets are really awful. They don’t resemble anything else that’s happening in the playoffs.”
It’s tough to argue with that. It throws off the game’s rhythm. And instead of talking about Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP-level talent, fans are talking about his flopping. It felt a little cheap, and it’s not likely to win him new fans.
One fan even compared his flop face to Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream.”
who did this 😭 pic.twitter.com/2mnB3lxAfq
— •ᴅɢᴛʟ• (@dgtlemissions)
On a more serious note, the NBA should review this ahead of Game 2 to make sure the refs call it more evenly and consistently for the rest of the series.
Despite the drama, SGA and the Thunder dominated Game 1. On defense, they forced 19 turnovers and turned them into 31 points. Offensively, they were more efficient, shooting 50% from the field compared to Minnesota’s rough 34.9%.
Oklahoma City crushed the Timberwolves in the paint, outscoring them 54-20 — even with Rudy Gobert, one of the NBA’s top rim protectors, in the middle.
OKC set the tone for what it’s going to take to beat them.
Is It Fair To Criticize Gilgeous-Alexander?
Drawing contact is part of the game. There’s skill in doing it. The best players in the league usually lead in fouls drawn because defenders play them harder, and stars get more whistles.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished second in the NBA in fouls drawn, ahead of Nikola Jokić, Jalen Brunson, and Giannis Antetokounmpo — all elite players.
And yes, SGA is a worthy MVP. He led the league in scoring with more than 32 points a game, and for a guard to shoot over 51% is rare. He plays both ends, helps his teammates, and led his team to 68 wins.
Gilgeous-Alexander probably went overboard in Game 1, but that doesn’t take away from how special he is.
