Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder took Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bill Simmons was among those simply not happy after the game.
Bill Simmons rips Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after Game 1 win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points, five rebounds, nine assists, and three steals in the Thunder's Game 1 over the Timberwolves. He shot just 10-of-27 from the field, but did make 11 of his 14 free throw attempts.
Throughout the night, however, fans at home joined Timberwolves players and coaches in complaining about the excessive and consistent foul-baiting by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the court.
Chief among those fans was The Ringer's popular podcaster, Bill Simmons.
Simmons took to social media at around halftime of Game 1 with a simple message.
“I don’t care who wins this game,” Simmons said. “The touch foul calls SGA gets are really awful. They don’t resemble anything else that’s happening in the playoffs.”
I don’t care who wins this game. The touch foul calls SGA gets are really awful. They don’t resemble anything else that’s happening in the playoffs.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) May 21, 2025
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not have a great shooting game, as evidenced by his shooting just 37 percent from the field and no made three-pointers on four attempts.
He did, however, attempt seven free throws in the first quarter while clearly attempting to draw fouls instead of focusing on finishing at the basket, hence the open layups he missed in the opening period.




And for the record, SGA’s first half tonight was some of the nastiest grifting i’ve seen from him in a really long time.
It was ugly and a real tough watch.
But he only shot 5 in the second half where he dropped 20 points and all anybody can talk about is his first half lol?
— Cooper Jones (@CooperJNBA) May 21, 2025
NBA needs to fix this… https://t.co/0fuT9uvmA0 pic.twitter.com/XQ52NB0Wy2
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) May 21, 2025
Everyone (except Thunder fans) see it. https://t.co/rV5cruekNU
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) May 21, 2025
https://t.co/UX7g1hDrMy pic.twitter.com/dFmLMhOY5v
— George Stoia III (@GeorgeStoia) May 21, 2025
So it's not just us thinking it? https://t.co/xNeszTpSRs
— Justin Gaard (@Gaardsy) May 21, 2025
Jalen Brunson would average 40 a game with this whistle SGA gets. https://t.co/6ZhA0GuAUN
— Tom Thibadome, Owner of the Thibsdale Thibadome (@Thibadome) May 21, 2025
The Thunder went on to defeat the Timberwolves, 114-88. Jalen Williams added 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Chet Holmgren scored 15 points with seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks while Isaiah Hartenstein recorded 12 points and five rebounds.
Julius Randle paced the Wolves with 28 points and right rebounds, but was held to just eight second half points after scoring 20 in the first. Anthony Edwards scored 18 points with nine rebounds, but was clearly hampered by the ankle injury sustained late in the first quarter of Game 1.