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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has larger objectives than the MVP.
He still desires it.
“It’s a surreal sensation,” the Oklahoma City Thunder guard informed Bleacher Report when going over remaining in the MVP race. “You dream about it as a kid. I definitely have, wishing to remain in the NBA my entire life. It’s something that I attempt not to put excessive idea or focus on and let the chips fall where they may, however it’s something that I absolutely desire. If I attain it and am blessed enough to get the award, I’ll be extremely delighted.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was a newbie All-Star simply last season however is now absolutely among the very best general gamers in the league who is balancing 30.5 points, 6.3 helps, 5.6 rebounds and a league-best 2.1 takes a night while shooting 54.1 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from deep.
His speed off the dribble makes him difficult to remain in front of, however he can likewise extend his video game beyond the three-point arc if provided excessive area. Integrate that with being unstoppable in shift, a prepared facilitator when double groups come his method and able to take control of in crunch time, and there is absolutely nothing he can’t do on the flooring.
As an outcome, he is ideal in the middle of that MVP race along with Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Dončić.
He is likewise a main factor his group has actually been so dominant this season.
Oklahoma City is 49-21 and simply a half-game behind the reigning-champion Denver Nuggets and a half-game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fight for the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed.
“We’re incredibly concentrated on winning video games,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “Obviously with the front runner, we ‘d get home-court benefit the whole time we’re in the West in the playoffs. For the a lot of part, we’re simply focused on taking it day-by-day and gaining video games. That would be some icing on the cake, for sure.”
That day-by-day focus has actually permitted the Thunder to prevent extended battles even if there are periodic slips like Sunday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. They have not lost more than 2 video games in a row all season and are well-positioned to notch the franchise’s very first playoff-series win given that the 2015-16 project when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were leading the method.
It wasn’t always expected to be by doing this, a minimum of so quickly.
The playoffs were a practical objective at the start of the season because Oklahoma City reached the play-in competition in 2022-23, however much of the story surrounding the group was still concentrated on the future offered its collection of upcoming draft choices and young gamers.
Gilgeous-Alexander is simply 25 years of ages however is something of a senior statesman thinking about Chet Holmgren is 21 years of ages, Jalen Williams is 22 years of ages,
