The New York Knicks hosted the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, March 4. The Thunder edged out the Knicks 103–100, winning the 4th game in a row. For OKC, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again played a key role in the win, stuffing the stat sheet with 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
But it was his foul-baiting abilities that were once again in the spotlight. Knicks head coach Mike Brown let his frustration spill over during the postgame presser, accusing SGA of selling contact to the referees.
New York Knicks HC Mike Brown Frustrated Over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Foul Baiting
The “free throw merchant,” as SGA has been called on several occasions, was at it again. The reigning NBA MVP drew multiple foul calls and made all his free throws. He went 7-of-7 at the charity stripe, and the Knicks’ head coach did not let it slide without highlighting SGA’s unusual style of play:
“SGA, he’s a tough cover,” Brown said. “He does a great job of convincing the referees, probably better than anybody in the league, that he’s getting hit.” 😳
Brown didn’t stop there. He further added:
“Yeah, I mean, you guys saw the play. SGA had two fouls, and Jalen was there, and he ran him over. It’s just like the call that they made on OG.
“You know, I mean, I don’t know. I just don’t understand why that was a no-call; it should have been his third. The bucket shouldn’t have counted, and we should have gone the other way with the basketball.
And so to see that, knowing that Jalen is standing there and he’s putting his body on the line and our guys are fighting their asses off, you know, to try to win the ball game… it just didn’t sit well with me, obviously.”
Brown might have been venting his frustration after OKC snapped the Knicks’ three-game winning streak. For SGA, however, it’s a strategy that works, and he never shies away from using it to the full extent.
SGA sits second on the list of most free throw attempts (478) made by a player this season, with 427 attempts converted so far. He boasts a free-throw efficiency of 89.3%, one of the highest in the league this season.
SGA is also posting a career-high scoring average of 31.7 points per game. He leads the team in scoring and remains a primary contributor to OKC’s stellar 49–15 record so far.
