Many teams have felt the same way about how the Minnesota Timberwolves have guarded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It feels like the world is against them, as the Thunder ace finds a way to get to the free-throw line. In Game 2, his ability didn’t wane. SGA kept frustrating the Wolves. However, Jaden McDaniels had had enough of the freshly crowned MVP getting his way in the game. So he took matters into his own hands.

The Wolves forward is an elite defensive talent. But against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he intentionally pushed the OKC talisman to the ground as his team was on the verge of going down 2-0. The shove didn’t change much. It only affected McDaniels as a former referee, Steve Javie, sided with SGA in the particular incident.

“Well, you have to see first what the defender does because a lot of times the defender reaches first, and then the offensive player hooks. This situation, obviously, the defender is frustrated. 16-point ball game, couple of hard fouls already. I think you will see Flagrant penalty 1 because it’s definitely not a basketball play, and it’s unnecessary contact,” he added.

The analysis turned out to be spot on. McDaniels was charged with a flagrant for his violent play on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Alongside that, SGA also got some support for the recent tyranny he has been facing from the fans.

Regardless, SGA seems immune to having not only criticism but also actions like McDaniels’ push. He didn’t react with any anger. In his mind, he was successful in unsettling the Timberwolves. He launched for 38 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals in OKC’s Game 2 win, building on his strong MVP campaign.

As for Jaden McDaniels, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been getting under his skin since the last game. When matched up against the MVP, McDaniels was called for four shooting fouls. Moreover, SGA also found relative success when matched up against him, scoring 11 points and dishing out three assists.

However, while he did win the battle, what is the truth behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s high tendency to get calls?

Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander taking advantage of his whistle?

After Game 1, fans piled the pressure on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Several compilations and short videos forwarded a clear message. They felt SGA is an unwatchable star because he tries to manipulate the game in his favor. At times, it does look intentional. But in basketball, a scorer’s mentality only calls for putting the ball in the basket. It doesn’t matter how it looks, just getting the job done.

All year long, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t given any attention to the fans berating him for the way he plays. Because ultimately, his ability to get to the free-throw line keeps the Thunder offense from being stagnant. From his personal lens, his skill is undeniable. SGA doesn’t average 32.7 points by just being great at drawing fouls.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just been able to hack the system and find avenues to continue scoring the ball. As for him getting free throws, that’s an ode to him forcing defenders and the officials in difficult situations. The KIA MVP is able to get his defenders off balance or jabbing at the ball, increasing the probability of them making an error.

That’s all he needs. It goes either of two ways when that happens. Either the defender remains cautious in guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, giving him a relatively uncontested look at the basket, or the contact forces the officials to make a decision. Of course, there are times SGA may have the intent of hunting for the foul, and it doesn’t look pretty.

But when winning games is the objective, that hardly matters. His fluidity makes it hard to spot in real time for the officials. Furthermore, it puts pressure on the defense by putting them into foul trouble. For his mastery of scoring the ball, SGA’s game is much more nuanced than just getting to the line.

He drives the ball far more than any other player in the NBA. Likewise, defenses are compelled to take action, and subsequently, so are the officials.