Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has quietly cemented himself as one of the most lethal players in the league. Night in and night out, he brings a calm dominance that has taken his team to the NBA Finals. Whether it’s slicing through defenses with his crafty footwork, pulling up for mid-range jumpers, or getting to the line with ease, SGA makes it look effortless.
Advertisement
He’s been the engine behind the Thunder’s dominant run this season, earning the coveted MVP trophy in the process. Now, he is just two wins away from becoming an NBA Champion. And Dwyane Wade believes that there’s a way to stop him.
So far, the Pacers haven’t been able to control SGA’s onslaught. In fact, their head coach, Rick Carlisle, after losing Game 2, said, “(With) Shai, you can mark down 34 points before they even get on the plane tomorrow for the next game.” In four NBA Finals games so far, he is averaging 32.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks.
The numbers prove that the Pacers’ strategies have been ineffective against him. But DWade might have an idea on how to get the job done. On a recent episode of Time Out, the Hall of Famer said that the only way to stop SGA is by getting him tired. The Pacers shouldn’t aim to stop Shai from scoring; they should aim to wear him out.
“If you’re gonna beat this team, that guy who is really really good, you have to see him grab his shorts. You have to see him check out,” Wade said. Indiana’s best chance lies in its up-tempo offense. If they push the pace, run the floor, and constantly make Shai work on both ends, they might just chip away at his rhythm. Considering SGA is averaging nearly 40 minutes per game, it shouldn’t be a very difficult task if Indiana truly commits to it.
Dwyane Wade explains how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets on the FT line so easily
This season has belonged to SGA. He made the All-Star Game, the All-NBA First Team, became the scoring champion, Conference Finals MVP, and the league MVP. Amid his dominant run, he has also faced a lot of criticism. People have called him a “free-throw merchant” for getting numerous calls per game.
But DWade knows there’s a strategy to it. The free throws aren’t being handed to him; SGA is earning them. On Time Out, he explained that the key difference between SGA and most players is that, “He’s not searching out threes. He’s not jacking threes.”
SGA puts pressure on the defense, which allows him opportunities, often more than others, to get to the free-throw line. “Also, he has the relief of being able to bump you and step back and hit that mid-range on either side of the floor. So he’s brought back the game that we’re used to seeing,” DWade added.
So, people can say whatever they want about SGA, but if he bags two more wins, he’s going to top off his already legendary season in the best way possible.
