Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's impressive 35-point performance in a 112-107 losing effort against the Minnesota Timberwolves included a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, which is less than his average. Gilgeous-Alexander attempts 9.5 free throws per game, which is the third-highest in the NBA. However, in a game where the Timberwolves got to the line 47 times, SGA addressed the disparity during his postgame media availability.
For Gilgeous-Alexander, who a reporter asked about the narrative surrounding the reigning MVP's “foul-baiting” approach in contrast to the Timberwolves' free-throw attempts in Friday's loss, the officiating is out of his control.
“Yeah, I don't care. Not one bit. I can't control how the refs blow the whistle, ever,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I've never been able to — never been a ref. All I can do is play basketball, and that's all I focus on, trying to win games and championships.”
Gilgeous-Alexander's 35 points led five Thunder players in double figures, including Chet Holmgren (14 points) and Ajay Mitchell (14 points), who led the bench production. Anthony Edwards (26 points) and Julius Randle (19 points) led the Timberwolves. Minnesota finished 33-for-47 from the free-throw line. The Thunder shot 28-of-30.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's father on ‘free-throw merchant'
Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's father, Vaughn Alexander, spoke out on his son's “free-throw merchant” moniker during the NBA Finals. Gilgeous-Alexander's dad says SGA drawing free throws is a skillset, and far from a form of flopping, as some fans suggest, he said, in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints.
“Really and truly, let's be real, it's a skill, it's an art,” Vaughn Alexander said of his son. “It is. If you guys don't want us to be a ‘free throw merchant,' guess what you do? Just change your rules. You're allowed to play football and headlock people, right? There are rules, guys, you cannot foul, you cannot touch people, so I don't know what you want me to do, bro. You know what I mean? I can't change the rules. Once the rules are there, I'm going to be a free-throw merchant.
“It's knowing when to draw those so-called fouls. They call him a ‘free-throw merchant.' I know you're in a bad position. I'm going up. It's a foul. I'm going to go up, bro. I'm going to go up. You run on my back, I'm going to go up. I don't care. Like, it's actually a skill.”
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will host the Grizzlies on Monday.
