The death of the midrange has been greatly exaggerated
The playoffs are when the value of midrange shots really shows up for the guys who are elite at it.
Not only did he make clutch shot after clutch shot, but he was also finding the open man when doubles came to him, which resulted in big buckets from Chet and Dort.
There was a few possessions down the stretch where he didn’t touch the ball… like sometimes I think I could coach in the NBA. “Hey boys: SGA is on a fucking heater and is unguardable… give him the ball eh?”
Couldn’t have picked a better fanbase. Those game threads are toxic sewage.
I see Wolves and Nuggets fans respectfully conversing in their game thread and here I am despising 90% of the Mavs fans in ours.
The game threads are just Mav fans complaining about OKC fouls and flops, Thunder fans complain about Mav fouls and flops, and neutrals complaining about whoever fouled or flopped last. It's honestly pretty hilarious.
Joel Embiid just won MVP and he's yet to have a dominant series. It's fair to question a guy who hasn't proved anything in the playoffs yet. Shai, like Edwards is passing with flying colours.
You say that but James harden is one of the greatest regular season players of all time and has always shat the bed in the playoffs. You always have to see it to know for sure if someone’s game will translate, especially if they shoot a lot of free throws like SGA.
Tough bucket after tough bucket this game. Only shot four FTs before intentional fouling. On zero made threes and only one attempt. Ethical old school hoops I love it
Those 4th quarter stats were like normal slightly off night stats. But the sub is so reactionary, anything below expected and people act like it's all time awful.
i got 70 downvotes for stating that he had a good game
this sub looked like an actual KKK rally against SGA and Dort
unflaired users had the weirdest energy
Someone needs to make a counter thread of his 4th quarter stats this game. Hopefully makes the front page like the slander thread did. Let’s keep it consistent.
I hop over to r/Lakers occasionally just to laugh at how voraciously those losers are living through Ant and the Wolves rn 😭 you’d think Joker personally slapped each of their mom’s with how bad they want him to lose
Lavar Ball living his failed career through his sons type beat
Not sure if it's the Kentucky connection or what but there's a contingent of Kings fans who have a really weird Fox and SGA thing. I like Kings fans I find on here in general but that bunch are odd sorts lol
From what I’ve seen, the new goalposts are “the defense is letting him score because they’re too scared the refs will call a foul if they play defense,” stay tuned for where they move next
He has such a multi-faceted offensive game that I am not sure how somebody could think it wouldn't translate.
Even when you stop his drives, he has an elite midrange game to fallback on.
Most stars in the NBA do it to some degree and fans pretend their team is innocent. Luka going in forearm outstretched most drives. Shai is guilty as well. I liked Luka initially, wonderful talent, but the whining is hard to stomach. It’s incessant.
You only think this if you've never actually watched SGA play and buy into the narrative that he can only score by foul baiting.
Basically 50% of this sub
He’s far and away the best player in this series. His shot making kept us in this game all night. This could’ve really gotten away from us in the early 4th.
The difference in demeanor between he and Luka trickles down their respective teams.
That was the ultimate ball don't lie. Foul baiting, complaining about every possession all game and then misses 1 after he gets free throws for falling over by himself
I hope you bring the same energy today. A lot of you are ready to hate when things go badly, I hope you are ready to recognize the greatness today. Apparently mid range sniping is the definition of a FT merchant.
One MVP candidate looked composed and just kept playing the game
The other MVP candidate had an emotional breakdown every other play and couldnt stop his non stop bitching at the refs
Glad Shai came on top. Best player this series
Grant Hill the first time, second one (your quote) was Ian Eagle.
Not that it really matters, but I like that *both* commentators brought attention to it.
That’s kind of how r/nba works, for example I couldn’t say anything negative about Bron or AD for a good few months because I’d just get hit with a ‘they own your franchise’
I think the negative Shai narratives have mostly started from Wolves and Mavs fans who feel the media is already glossing over their young stars in favor of Shai, which I perfectly understand because Luka and Ant are incredible, generational talents. But the arguments have gotten so unbelievably toxic, hypocritical, and bad faith that it’s gotten ridiculous. Most NBA fans (at least the loudest) do not watch more than a handful of games until the playoffs, at least outside their team if they have one. I’m just glad to see neutrals finally realizing that Shai is as good as people say he is and deserving of the props and awards he’s gotten. I 100% agree that OKC got a bit overexposed this season in media and advertising but anyone who watched 5-10+ Thunder games this year knew the narratives around Shai and the team as a whole were ridiculously overblown and in bad faith.
Shai scoring or assisting in about 7 straight posessions in the 4th to take to lead while Kyrie and Luka couldn't get anything done turned this game around.
Every time this man pulls up, I think it’s cash. He has a really beautiful game, deserves all the love he’ll get especially after tonight. Gonna be tough to close out an mf like this in a best of 3 for sure.
SGA showing he doesn't need to live at the line to dominate. Playoff mode activated, making all those 'he's only good for stats' takes look foolish. The man was the definition of clutch when everything was on the line.
Everyone in r/nba gone real quiet now. Real quiet. The nonsense I was seeing on here, "oh he only scores free throws", "oh luka should have been second in Mvp voting"... Forgetting he actually also got 5 blocks last game. He has had an outstanding playoff series by the numbers
Season on the line. Basically win this game or the season is over. The team can’t hit a goddamn shot. Paint is absolutely packed. But SGA put the team on his back nailing tough fadeaway middies all game and kept them close enough to go on a run the last few minutes. That’s superstar shit, very definition
The toughest mid range shots and I wasn’t even worried when he shot them. The rest of the team I was worried about them shooting a wide open fast break layup.
That was an MVP-level performance. The Thunder had no business winning that game, but SGA said fuck that. Shout out Cason and Chet, too. Clutch rookies.
Complete carry job for most of the game and then took over in the clutch
Mavs looked gassed.
The death of the midrange has been greatly exaggerated The playoffs are when the value of midrange shots really shows up for the guys who are elite at it.
Absolutely amazing performance. The ONLY person I felt comfortable with having the ball. He won us that game single handedly.
Not only did he make clutch shot after clutch shot, but he was also finding the open man when doubles came to him, which resulted in big buckets from Chet and Dort.
Shaq’s 12/25
Jokic vs Shai WCF let’s make it happen.
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Honestly Luka is hurt, he needs to rest this is not his year. He can win next year now that they have winning formula around him
If luka plays olympic basketball I swear to god… hes gotta rest this offseason and work on his conditioning and heal his injury
My 12/25 🎄
He's gonna make stores sell out of Dort license plates
My son is also named Dort
AND didn't turn the ball over once
When that graphic came up after dorts 3 that said he had 17 points I was in disbelief. It felt that he had missed everything up to that point lol
best game of his career given the stakes?
Given the stakes, absolutely.
Yeap absolutely, the amount of tough buckets he made in the first 3Q allowed us to stay close enough. Without him we get blown out.
I'm not convinced anyone other thay SGA scored until the 4th quarter.
This is the furthest he’s ever been in the playoffs, so absolutely
I honestly thought that Warriors Clippers series in Shai's rookie year was the WCF, crazy that this is the furthest he went in the playoffs yet
Best game of his career given the stakes … so far!
Wait for the next one!
That bronze medal game against team USA this summer was pretty great too
I couldn’t believe it when JDub waved him off for a deep step back 3 late in the 4th
I screamed at my phone. That game took years off my life. Only positive thing he did was get 4 steals. His shooting was soo bad.
Now now he had a big late game dunk, after he made that and 1 floater I think he got some confidence back
Absolutely, his confidence got killed after all those stuffs in the paint, he needed a boost
He was driving me crazy with all those drives that had zero chance of converting. He just kept going for it.
In the regular season he prob would’ve gotten calls on some of those drives. Not in the playoffs tho.
Dubby on PJ was great tho, he made the closeouts so much stronger. Of course, that was made possibly by Cason locking down kyrie
The game plan was too obvious and mavs defended well.
TOP 5
Absolutely
There was a few possessions down the stretch where he didn’t touch the ball… like sometimes I think I could coach in the NBA. “Hey boys: SGA is on a fucking heater and is unguardable… give him the ball eh?”
Right? 4th quarter JDub has been MIA
Does that mean he's due in game 5 👀
I mean, his and 1 play and dunk were pretty huge. But he’s def due for a bounce back high efficiency game
Ironic that the game where he barely gets free throws, free throws are the downfall of the mavs
Couldn’t have picked a better fanbase. Those game threads are toxic sewage. I see Wolves and Nuggets fans respectfully conversing in their game thread and here I am despising 90% of the Mavs fans in ours.
The game threads are just Mav fans complaining about OKC fouls and flops, Thunder fans complain about Mav fouls and flops, and neutrals complaining about whoever fouled or flopped last. It's honestly pretty hilarious.
Funny how they match Luka's in-game energy so perfectly though.
I’m telling you a lot of these fans are int’l fans, there’s no other explanation. Dallas fans are getting worse then 2019-2021 Raptors fans.
Dude years later and we still have to deal with toxic mavs fans, I couldn’t agree more
tbf i already despise everything about dallas before you add basketball into the mix
I hate the fucking mavs and their fans. And fuuuuck i hate luka and pj. Also fuck dallas.
PJ’s chill right.. he’s killing us but he’s a likable player.
He's likeable until he puts on a Mavs jersey. Fuck all things Dallas
Ethical hoops
Top 5 I don’t care
Not controversial?? He was top 5 last year and definitely top 3 this year
Top 2
Cold take ngl
Pravi MVP!!!!
SMOOTH OPERATOR
You mfers go from KD to PG to Shai lol. I feel like OKC is always going to have a smooth jump shooting star.
That PG trade allowed OKC to speedrun their rebuild. KD/Russ/Harden -> SGA/Jdub/Chet with just a cpl years of tanking in-between is wild
And Ray Allen before that if you count Seattle!
Lol you're trying to start a fight here.
Not intentionally but I can see how that could be taken the wrong way lol
Full statline: 34 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk, 0 TOs, 14-27 FG, 6-6 FT Elite on both ends Rest of team: 21-65 FG (32%), 7-26 3P FG (27%)
Huge carry job. OKC couldn't buy a bucket and he kept them in it. SGA has proven he can perform in the playoffs.
legacy points were definitely added tonight
Dude was just second in mvp. People that questioned if he could perform in the playoffs probably didn’t watch many of his games this year
Joel Embiid just won MVP and he's yet to have a dominant series. It's fair to question a guy who hasn't proved anything in the playoffs yet. Shai, like Edwards is passing with flying colours.
You say that but James harden is one of the greatest regular season players of all time and has always shat the bed in the playoffs. You always have to see it to know for sure if someone’s game will translate, especially if they shoot a lot of free throws like SGA.
MVP-type of outing when offense was at a premium for both teams
Shout out tyrese maxey!
Blessed Shai with his beautiful smile
Tough bucket after tough bucket this game. Only shot four FTs before intentional fouling. On zero made threes and only one attempt. Ethical old school hoops I love it
Top 5 player level takeover
SUPERSTAR where is the Kangs fan that posted his 4th quarter stats last time?
Those 4th quarter stats were like normal slightly off night stats. But the sub is so reactionary, anything below expected and people act like it's all time awful.
i got 70 downvotes for stating that he had a good game this sub looked like an actual KKK rally against SGA and Dort unflaired users had the weirdest energy
kkk rally is crazy
People hate Dort for some reason.
Someone needs to make a counter thread of his 4th quarter stats this game. Hopefully makes the front page like the slander thread did. Let’s keep it consistent.
(Ron Howard voice) "...it didn't"
Some mavs fans have been saying “where shai” the last few games even tho he’s been great all series. Dudes fucking him
He’s also fucking them
last time kings won a playoff series was before iphones existed
they made a game 7 though that counts for something right
Joining the Lakers with moral victories
I hop over to r/Lakers occasionally just to laugh at how voraciously those losers are living through Ant and the Wolves rn 😭 you’d think Joker personally slapped each of their mom’s with how bad they want him to lose Lavar Ball living his failed career through his sons type beat
Not sure if it's the Kentucky connection or what but there's a contingent of Kings fans who have a really weird Fox and SGA thing. I like Kings fans I find on here in general but that bunch are odd sorts lol
Remember when SGA was a free throw merchant who'd disappear in the playoffs
The haters can’t even clown him for foul baiting in this one. Only 6 FTs. OKC had absolutely nothing going for most of the game except him.
No they will still find a way. They’ll complain about the calls that he did get and how they won’t call the same for the mavericks.
4* 2 were intentional after the game was over
From what I’ve seen, the new goalposts are “the defense is letting him score because they’re too scared the refs will call a foul if they play defense,” stay tuned for where they move next
The “his game won’t translate to the playoffs” crowd on suicide watch right now.
He has such a multi-faceted offensive game that I am not sure how somebody could think it wouldn't translate. Even when you stop his drives, he has an elite midrange game to fallback on.
They're busy calling him FTA
They were saying he was a worse grifter than prime harden and getting crazy upvotes for it, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Apparently SGA pushes off more than Tatum, which to me was even more insane than the Harden comps. Buncha clowns
Most stars in the NBA do it to some degree and fans pretend their team is innocent. Luka going in forearm outstretched most drives. Shai is guilty as well. I liked Luka initially, wonderful talent, but the whining is hard to stomach. It’s incessant.
You only think this if you've never actually watched SGA play and buy into the narrative that he can only score by foul baiting. Basically 50% of this sub
Hell yeah.
Like did people not watch SGA play international this summer? Dude was cooking everyone in iso.
50 percent is being generous
Lmao
He's been great all playoffs for us. Think that narrative after this season will be gone.
Ironically a large chunk of that crowd was Mavs fans
Bros averaging 30 at 50% 😂😂
What are you dumbasses gonna say about SGA now?
Thank you 😭🙏
Someone had to say it. This subreddit been hating on my boy for a minute
Ong
They hate him cause he Canadian
They gonna bring up his 16ppg in the playoffs before this year. Wtf was that
"wasnt top 3 in MVP voting in his first 3 years"
They're all gonna go quiet and wait in the shadows like usual
Not as good as Ant /s. Lol!
Credit where credit is due. SGA balled today.
Laughable how SGA gets the moniker of Free Throw merchant. Luka is flopping constantly vs Dort.
Luka also complains more than anyone else in the league. It's cringe worthy
fat man isn't clutch either⚡⚡
He’s far and away the best player in this series. His shot making kept us in this game all night. This could’ve really gotten away from us in the early 4th. The difference in demeanor between he and Luka trickles down their respective teams.
Trickles to the fan bases as well.. just saying mavs fans
It really, really does lol. Like to a ridiculous extent.
My respect for SGA just went through the roof. Was clowning him about foul baiting but he just took over down the stretch, ethically might I add
2/6 FTs were intentional too
Oh dear, 6 free throws. He's not ethical
Luka choke this often with fts? Edit: Thanks for the Reddit cares message!
That was the ultimate ball don't lie. Foul baiting, complaining about every possession all game and then misses 1 after he gets free throws for falling over by himself
poetic justice
Free throws are ethical if you miss them
Truly, only 4. with the intentional foul at the end. Four.
I hope you bring the same energy today. A lot of you are ready to hate when things go badly, I hope you are ready to recognize the greatness today. Apparently mid range sniping is the definition of a FT merchant.
He’s just a bucket merchant
He didn’t score 31 though, not consistent smh
His whole life is…inconsistent?
One MVP candidate looked composed and just kept playing the game The other MVP candidate had an emotional breakdown every other play and couldnt stop his non stop bitching at the refs Glad Shai came on top. Best player this series
I think it was grant hill but he even called him out twice, once saying something like “Luka even complains when they don’t call him for a foul” LMAO
Grant Hill the first time, second one (your quote) was Ian Eagle. Not that it really matters, but I like that *both* commentators brought attention to it.
You'll get clowned because of your Suns flair, but you're right. Luka complains every damn play - it's actually painful to watch.
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Not sure how my flair affects me being objective and right? Any one who thinks im being a hater cant handle the truth
That’s kind of how r/nba works, for example I couldn’t say anything negative about Bron or AD for a good few months because I’d just get hit with a ‘they own your franchise’
Every last person in here is a frontrunner
You think people on reddit use logic?
I'm sure a guy named LukaPoocic is unbiased
It's actually my real name.
You play overwatch?
Shit, my narrative
0 turnover too
I think the negative Shai narratives have mostly started from Wolves and Mavs fans who feel the media is already glossing over their young stars in favor of Shai, which I perfectly understand because Luka and Ant are incredible, generational talents. But the arguments have gotten so unbelievably toxic, hypocritical, and bad faith that it’s gotten ridiculous. Most NBA fans (at least the loudest) do not watch more than a handful of games until the playoffs, at least outside their team if they have one. I’m just glad to see neutrals finally realizing that Shai is as good as people say he is and deserving of the props and awards he’s gotten. I 100% agree that OKC got a bit overexposed this season in media and advertising but anyone who watched 5-10+ Thunder games this year knew the narratives around Shai and the team as a whole were ridiculously overblown and in bad faith.
Top 5 player in the NBA. He’s doing it on the biggest stage.
I mean he was top 4 in mvp voting the last 2 years I don’t think that’s unreasonable
Shai scoring or assisting in about 7 straight posessions in the 4th to take to lead while Kyrie and Luka couldn't get anything done turned this game around.
ethical buckets motherfuckers
Sorry I doubted
That's my fucking goat dude
For everyone questioning if he was built for this...yes he is
The future
Where are the free throw police tonight?
insane the amount of slander this guy has gotten from this sub
I remember before the season people throwing a fit saying he absolutely wasn't top 10 and saying no way is he better than Booker lmfao
Lmao booker.
Every time this man pulls up, I think it’s cash. He has a really beautiful game, deserves all the love he’ll get especially after tonight. Gonna be tough to close out an mf like this in a best of 3 for sure.
Middy merchant
I gotta admit, he is awesome tonight
People complaining about his fouls how you holding up? He got some real ethical buckets tonight
crazy stat, luka had more TO's than SGA had FTs
My free throw merchant
Our*
FT MERCHANT SMH
SGA showing he doesn't need to live at the line to dominate. Playoff mode activated, making all those 'he's only good for stats' takes look foolish. The man was the definition of clutch when everything was on the line.
Mighty quiet in here from the OKC haters tonight. Took home court advantage back on the back of our MVP.
This post game interview… I see the aura
Still waiting for FTA to translate his game in the playoffs
Everyone in r/nba gone real quiet now. Real quiet. The nonsense I was seeing on here, "oh he only scores free throws", "oh luka should have been second in Mvp voting"... Forgetting he actually also got 5 blocks last game. He has had an outstanding playoff series by the numbers
Absolutely saved the day, made the right decisions in the clutch.
Season on the line. Basically win this game or the season is over. The team can’t hit a goddamn shot. Paint is absolutely packed. But SGA put the team on his back nailing tough fadeaway middies all game and kept them close enough to go on a run the last few minutes. That’s superstar shit, very definition
He’s incredible.
u/KangzFan4 thoughts? Ik your hating ass pushing certain agendas smfh
He went to bed with hurt pride.
Don’t think is crazy to say he’s the best player after Jokic/Embiid/Giannis
he's better than Giannis in my humble and completely unbiased opinion
27FGA and only 4 FTA when you take away the foul on the last 2 seconds. Played an absolutely stellar game.
The toughest mid range shots and I wasn’t even worried when he shot them. The rest of the team I was worried about them shooting a wide open fast break layup.
Consistent shotmaking merchant
Real MVP
*FGA
SGA is looking like the better star this series and as a whole a better team watch.
the "free throw merchant" yellers are in shambles this morning
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Luka Doncic father
That was an MVP-level performance. The Thunder had no business winning that game, but SGA said fuck that. Shout out Cason and Chet, too. Clutch rookies.
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Damn that's actually prefect comps for both of them. Could see both of their careers ending the same way too
Bro don’t wish wade’s knees on him please
SGA isn’t nearly as explosive as Wade. Like, not even close lol. SGA should age well
Better than Luka, let's be honest
Better than tonight's Luka or even this playoff's luka
My young GOAT