Hamilton NBA star Gilgeous-Alexander's even-keeled approach helps Thunder regain homecourt advantage

Cliff Brunt · The Associated Press

· Posted: May 12, 2025 12:44 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is mostly an expressionless, emotionless exemplary of consistency.

Whether Oklahoma City's superstar defender has an disconnected nighttime oregon scores 50 points, the chill Canadian with the impeccable benignant sticks to the script. He says he's not an all-time large yet, but Gilgeous-Alexander seems to beryllium connected his mode to greatness.

His understated persona is antithetic successful today's NBA, particularly coming from a super-talented 26-year-old successful a satellite of self-promotion and viral antics. But ticker Gilgeous-Alexander — before, during and aft games — and it becomes plausible that the MVP finalist buys what he's selling.

So seldom does Gilgeous-Alexander deviate from his attack that adjacent a hint of feeling from him becomes a moment. After helium was caught smiling pursuing a Game 3 nonaccomplishment to the Denver Nuggets successful the Western Conference semifinals, a station of it connected X drew much than 900,000 views successful 12 hours.

"Some fans were taunting me," the Hamilton autochthonal said from Oklahoma City. "I cognize however the crippled goes; I cognize however beingness is. It's casual to taunt erstwhile you're up. I don't ever privation to amusement them that I'm defeated oregon huffy oregon thing similar that. Nothing's written, the bid is not over, and we person a batch to beryllium optimistic about."

Gilgeous-Alexander was right, the bid is acold from over. He had 25 points, six rebounds and six assists successful Oklahoma City's 92-87 triumph successful Game 4 connected Sunday that regained its homecourt advantage.

His quality to bounce backmost comes from an attack that has been accordant for years.

"I don't ever interest astir my crippled oregon however it's going," helium said during the first-round expanse against Memphis. "I don't ever interest astir the things that it would look similar I'd interest about. I ever conscionable interest astir clip and people and prime of possession. And past fto the crippled flow, fto the crippled travel to me, fto it travel to my teammates. And usually we've had occurrence due to the fact that we bash so. We enactment successful the moment."

Now, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder are backmost successful Oklahoma City for Game 5 connected Tuesday nighttime with a accidental to enactment three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets connected the brink of elimination.

'Same idiosyncratic each day'

And everyone tin expect much of the aforesaid from Gilgeous-Alexander.

"He's got a definite temperament that I deliberation is beauteous dependable conscionable arsenic a person," Thunder manager Mark Daigneault said. "He's the aforesaid idiosyncratic each day, is the aforesaid idiosyncratic successful each enactment really, careless of what's going on."

Daigneault said Gilgeous-Alexander's steadiness includes his regular and preparation.

"He comes successful and helium has the aforesaid process each azygous day," Daigneault said. "He has the aforesaid process earlier each azygous game. And so, I deliberation erstwhile you harvester benignant of the personality, the stableness of his property and the stableness of his work, I deliberation that's wherever you spot the stableness of his performance."

Opposing coaches praise Gilgeous-Alexander's maturation and versatility.

"You're talking astir a one-on-one subordinate that tin marque shots astatine each 4 levels," said Indiana's Rick Carlisle. "I mean, his crippled has 4 levels. It's similar mode outside, it's mean three, it's mid-range. It's truly possibly 5 levels. It's close astatine the rim. It's small floaters. And he's conscionable truthful businesslike and close that it's a precise monumental task to dilatory him down."

Gilgeous-Alexander besides averaged 6.4 assists per crippled during the regular play and has emerged arsenic a high-level perimeter defender.

"He impacts winning," Detroit manager J.B. Bickerstaff said earlier Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 48 points successful a roadworthy triumph against the Pistons. "That's what the MVP is successful my mind. He helps transportation that team. He's a feline who -- you spot the mode his teammates dainty him, respect him and travel him. Those are the types of guys that you privation MVPs to be."

'He's intolerable to guard'

When helium is not passing the ball, Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring truthful overmuch that Golden State manager Steve Kerr wasn't adjacent amazed erstwhile helium scored 52 points against the Warriors connected Jan. 29.

"Shai is … he's incredible," Kerr said. "Everyone knows that and he's intolerable to guard."

He is not the archetypal Oklahoma City subordinate to gully that benignant of praise. Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Paul George enactment their stamps connected the franchise. Gilgeous-Alexander is alert of the history, but helium has made the Thunder applicable again successful his ain way.

Westbrook is present successful Denver, and Thunder fans gave him a lasting ovation erstwhile helium entered Game 1. Gilgeous-Alexander's absorption was different illustration of his quiescent assurance and self-assuredness.

"The ovation is beautiful," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "The things he's done for this city, this enactment — like, helium deserves it nary substance what. And what he's done for the game, period, has been special. And conscionable due to the fact that you're connected the different squad doesn't alteration anything."

What would alteration things for Gilgeous-Alexander is an NBA championship. He knows that and believes until helium wins one, helium shouldn't beryllium mentioned among the game's greats.

"You don't get successful those conversations, really, until you win," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "I cognize that's wherever I yet privation to beryllium erstwhile my vocation is said and done. Winning games, winning championships is astatine the beforehand of my caput and it ever volition be. And aft that, everything other volition travel and travel suit."