Could OKC Thunder Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Realistically Win MVP This Season?

OKC Thunder Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Realistically Win MVP This Season?

OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t new to being the best player on his team. His success — that is, his ability to average double figures since just his second.year in the league — comes largely from his scoring, but it’s far from his only skill. The sixth-year veteran can defend and facilitate an offense as good as anyone and at a leading rate on his own team. On the L.A. Clippers that was evident early. His potential was obvious, but his fit wasn’t exactly what the Clippers were looking for at the time. So, off to Oklahoma City he went. Since joining the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander has not only retained the skills that made his potential so high, but he’s improved in all of them. Every year as the Thunder’s frontman his points per game have increased and his steal numbers have remained consistent — currently sitting at a career-high of 2.3 per game. Gilgeous-Alexander’s well-rounded skillset is what makes him so valuable to the Thunder. That’s been clear. But now, the league is starting to take notice. Through 37 games this season, Gilgeous-Alexander has led his team to a first-place tie in the Western Conference and a league second-best record of 26-11, which has earned him the No. 3 spot in the NBA’s MVP Ladder. Dec 8, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles the ball down the court against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter at Paycom Center.© Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports “Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City to its largest margin of victory (62 points) in franchise history with 31 points on 11-of-15 shooting Thursday in just 21 minutes,” NBA.com wrote. “In their 139-77 win against the Blazers, the Thunder became the first team since the Spurs to shoot 50% or better in 10 straight games. “The 25-year-old has averaged 33 points per game on 61% shooting in his last 10 outings.” The Thunder star’s stats say everything they need to. There isn’t any question about his skill level or ability to be a leader, and if there were any doubts about whether or not he could be the best player on a contending team, those have been squashed. Gilgeous-Alexander is the most valuable player on his team, but there are two complicating factors standing — 7-feet tall, I’ll add — between him and being the most valuable player in the entire NBA: Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Oklahoma City might have a record that trumps all-but one team in the league, but both foreign big men’s squads aren’t far behind. Jokic — as a triple-double machine — has led the Nuggets to a 27-13 record and the No. 3 seed in the West, while Embiid has carried Philadelphia to 24 wins in the same Eastern-Conference position. As good as both players are, it makes Gilgeous-Alexander’s case even tougher that all signs are pointing toward both Jokic and Embiid to continue rolling. But that’s something the Thunder point guard is well aware of. “I’m aware of the league and how good players in the league are,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s why I work so hard. …

You have to lose to become a winner.” The 6-foot-6 superstar has put together a strong season, which is something that both Jokic and Embiid can also say, but there is another factor that could give him an edge over both big men, and it has to do with head-to-head matchups. This season, the Thunder has played Denver three times and Philadelphia once. It lost its lone matchup against the 76ers, but does have another pass at the Embiid-led team in April, which could be especially helpful as the season winds down. On the other hand, Gilgeous-Alexander’s squad has already bested Jokic and the Nuggets twice in three matchups, also with another on the way. If that game falls in Oklahoma City’s favor, it could certainly boost its star ahead of Jokic. Voter fatigue does in fact exist as well, and both of the Gilgeous-Alexander’s competitors have won the award before, so it could add a refreshing feel to the league’s award-cycle — though that isn’t anything to count on. Either way, all three of Jokic, Embiid and Gilgeous-Alexander have a strong shot at taking home hardware. As it stands, the Thunder star is third in the pecking order, but the season isn’t even halfway through yet. If anything has been made clear to this point, Gilgeous-Alexander is far from done working. He’s hungry with a desire to win. And that could be all he needs.