Leading a team to the NBA Finals is one thing, but creating or breaking a record is what Shai-Gilgeous Alexander is currently doing. After the first two games in the series, the score might be 1-1, but the Thunder guard has scored a whooping 72 points. For context, it’s more than what any player has scored on their Finals debut. 38 points in game 1 and 34 points in game 2 indicate the Pacers are yet to find a solution for him. So, Metta World Peace, former Indiana star and a candidate who is currently pitching himself for the Knicks job, had some suggestions on how to stop SGA.

On his Instagram story, he added, “Spoken from a top 5 wing defender ever.” The reaction from the DPOY was to a clip from the OG’s podcast featuring a former star known for his astute defending. Tony Allen, a 6x inductee in the All-Defensive team in his career, was famous for his suffocating on-ball pressure. So, his opinion on guarding SGA, who relies on traditional NBA scores with high percentage shots from the paint, makes the most sense. The former Grizzlies star added, “If I had to start with Shai, I’m definitely sending them to his right hand. It’s a lot of his shots, he just makes it look easy going left.”

The midrange step-back going left is an easy example of the Thunder superstar’s ability. That’s why Allen added his opinion, “I would like to see that going to the right hand. And not only that, since they letting us be physical now, let’s get our bigs up a little more.” But the task won’t be easy to stop the Canadian superstar, as Allen predicts.

“If you could brace that, be able to gather your upper body up, brace that and still be willing to contest for a 48-minute game, I don’t see him being effective.” But did you know that Shai-Gilgeous Alexander previously used his right hand predominantly? “I was very right-hand dominant from until I was, like, 9 (years old),” Gilgeous-Alexander said to The Athletic, a few months ago. But he was determined to change that

So, he put himself through dribbling drills using only his left hand, layups only with his left, and floaters only with his left. As per the article, SGA, when driving this season, goes left 57 percent of the time. That’s why Allen and Metta World Peace feel the Pacers should force the 2025 MVP on his right.

While the NBA finals are equally poised at the moment. It’s anyone’s guess as to who will end up as the champion. But Metta World Peace is not solely concerned by that, as his focus is on getting his dream job right now.

Metta World Peace is ready to take the next step

Metta recently said in an interview, “I’m ready, I’m cerebral, I have a high IQ.” Ever since the Knicks fired the fourth-winningest coach in franchise history, Tom Thibodeau, MWP has shown interest in the job. But let’s not forget, the task ahead of him is monumental, as Thibodeau led New York to back-to-back 50-win seasons that hadn’t happened since 1995. Regardless of that, the former NBA star has decided to throw his hat into the ring.

To further prove his point, he has even changed his social media handle to Coach Metta. With his roots connected with the Big Apple, it’s hard to ignore him outright. Metta World Peace played college basketball at St. John’s from 1997 to 1999. Being a Queens native, his early childhood memories are of playing in those areas. Hence, the connection is already there. But is the right man for the job?

Championship winner with the Lakers, Metta also started his coaching career in LA. He was the player development coach for the South Bay Lakers in the G-League from 2017 to 2018. Except that he has no senior coaching experience. So he will surely be a huge gamble if the Knicks decide to give him the hot seat. But recent reports that have emerged state that the Knicks are interested in Jason Kidd, the current Dallas Mavericks coach.

Hence, it seems like Metta World Peace will suffer another heartbreak with his hometown team, 25 years after his first one.