Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has come under scrutiny during the Western Conference Finals after data revealed how often he hits the floor after shooting.
According to statistics from Yahoo Sports' Tom Haberstroh, the four-time All-Star fell on 13 of his 47 field goal attempts over the first two games against the San Antonio Spurs.
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That equates to 27.6 percent of his shots.
The revelation triggered strong reactions from basketball fans on social media. Many accused the reigning MVP of trying to deceive referees rather than focusing on the game.
“That's an absurdly high number, especially when you watch the video and see how many of them he wasn't even touched,” one fan commented.
Another expressed disappointment with the current state of officiating and player behavior: “Look at what the sport has come to man.”
Some questioned how Gilgeous-Alexander's frequency compares to league averages in the postseason. “27.6% may sound like not too much.
But what’s the average for the league? If he’s going to the ground 3/4/5/6x (or more?
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) more than other players that’s disgusting basketball,” another fan argued.
Gilgeous-Alexander Responds to Criticism
The Thunder guard leads all postseason players with an average of 8.5 made free throws per game.
He addressed the negative narrative after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.
“The way I see it, the fans, the people that watched the games and root against us, they want their team to win.
You will never hear an Oklahoma City Thunder fan complaining about my free throws.
You will never hear a Lakers fan complaining about LeBron or Luka’s free throws,” Gilgeous-Alexander said via ESPN.
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He acknowledged the frustration while defending his style: “I get it, guys. I would hate me too.”
