NBA – Despite victory, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander slaughtered by an expert: “Horrible”.

Publié le
OKC Thunder (DR)

Par Guillaume Kagni | Journaliste sportif

Throughout the season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been singled out by fans exasperated by his propensity to pick up fouls. This was again the case this Tuesday in the conference final, prompting a sharp reaction from journalist Bill Simmons.

Publicité

These days, the hallmark of great forwards is the ability to manipulate referees to get easy whistles and put points on the free-throw line. James Harden was a forerunner in this field, finishing with the highest average shots per game on 7 occasions during his glorious career.

If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t at that level yet, he’s seriously starting to annoy fans of other franchises and observers alike. While he plays his shots wonderfully well, it has to be said that contentious situations often go his way. This was again the case on Tuesday in the match against the Timberwolves. The referees protect him, even when he initiates contact:

Publicité

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lit up by Bill Simmons

In the first 6 minutes of this conference final, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the free-throw line 7 times, which inevitably affected the pace of the game. The interruptions were numerous, the fouls not always obvious, which only added to the frustration of the neutral spectators. The proof is in this testimonial from Bill Simmons with tens of thousands of likes.

Publicité

This frustrating message is representative of the climate surrounding the Thunder during the playoffs. If all teams were refereed in the same way, viewers would have no choice but to accept this as a clear instruction from the league. But that’s not the case, and the more the games go on, the more the idea that APG is getting favorable treatment spreads. This is clearly not a good thing for the NBA’s image, especially if OKC wins close games thanks to whistle-blowing.

Buzz NBA Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference