The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night, taking a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6.
Reigning back-to-back NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder, recording a game-high 32 points and nine assists. He also made 16 of his 17 free-throw attempts, fueling the popular narrative that he flops in order to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line.
During an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” ESPN NBA broadcaster Mike Breen responded to this narrative surrounding SGA.
“Does he sell calls at times? Absolutely, but so do 287 other players in the NBA,” Breen said. “Quite frankly it’s a strategy to win. When they weren’t a championship contender, he was doing the same thing and nobody was complaining about it. They’re complaining now because they’re winning.”
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“He drives to the basket more than any other player in the league,” Breen continued. “He’s an incredible player. He’s got high character. He’s a great teammate. I hate the fact that this dominates the conversation about him.”
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Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 26.2 points and 9.8 assists per game through the Western Conference Finals so far, shooting just over 10 free throws per game. He’s making the most of his trips to the line, shooting a near-perfect 96.1%.
Game 6 will tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
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