Peter Okereke
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 47 points led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 114-110 win against the Detroit Pistons in overtime on Monday, which re-sparked the continuous MVP conversation during his postgame media interview.
However, the reigning MVP wanted no part of it. For Gilgeous-Alexander, it’s not on him to give his take on why he should win the MVP award in back-to-back NBA seasons.
When asked by a reporter to make an case for himself, SGA responded:
“Nah, I’m good. Thanks for asking, though. But yeah, I’m good. I’ll let my game do the talking.”
As for the MVP conversation in itself, Gilgeous-Alexander says the debate among fans and analysts is good for the association.
“It’s good for the league. I think it’s good chatter,” he said.
“It gives people something to talk about. A lot of good players in this league. A lot of guys in the conversation.”
The OKC Thunder big man will still face fierce competition for the award though, with San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama widely considered as among the top frontrunners for Most Valuable Player this season.
But given his latest comments, it appears Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is unfazed by his competition. He scored 11 consecutive points before draining what could have been the game-winning 3-pointer due to an offensive foul called with 4.3 seconds left in regulation.
He went 12-for-19 from the floor, including 2-for-3 from deep, and 21-of-25 from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, teammate Ajay Mitchell finished with 14 points while Chet Holmgren added 13 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
