<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-giannis-shai-gilgeous-alexander-nba-cup-tighten-race');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA MVP Mondays: Giannis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander use NBA Cup to tighten race');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-MVP-Mondays-Giannis-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-use-NBA-Cup-to-tighten-race.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA MVP Mondays: Giannis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander use NBA Cup to tighten race</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T15:00:53-08:00">December 23rd, 3:00pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T15:10:23-08:00">December 23rd, 3:10pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the NBA Cup wrapping up last week in Las Vegas, there were no NBA MVP rankings. Now that an in-season tournament champion has been named, this MVP race is suddenly closer than it was when December began. This has been Nikola Jokic’s race to lose for quite some time, but what Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have accomplished, especially regarding their NBA Cup championship game, can’t be overlooked.</p><p>It was Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks who handled Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the 2024 NBA Cup. Although the stats don’t officially count, which is the dumbest thing, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-news-giannis-antetokounmpo-makes-promise-nba-cup">Antetokounmpo put together one of his best performances of the season</a> while claiming the NBA Cup for the Bucks.</p><p>In this game, the two-time MVP recorded 26 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocks, and two steals in 37 minutes while shooting 10-of-19 from the floor. He was aggressive when he needed to be, and Giannis looked like the best player in the league against the Thunder, who some would argue are the best team in the NBA right now. This performance surely turned many people’s heads regarding the NBA MVP race, and even Tim Bontemps of ESPN can attest to this with <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/43060049/nba-mvp-straw-poll-where-jokic-giannis-sga-more-stars-rank" rel="noopener">his latest MVP straw poll.</a></p><p>Even with Antetokounmpo stealing the spotlight during the NBA Cup, Gilgeous-Alexander’s accomplishments during this tournament have also increased his positioning in the MVP race. Although he struggled to shoot against the Bucks, as did everyone on the Thunder, SGA recorded a 32-point, eight-rebound, six-assist performance against the Houston Rockets in the NBA Cup semifinals. Leading Oklahoma City to the championship game is a major accomplishment for the 26-year-old.</p><p>While Jokic still appears to hold the upper hand, Giannis and SGA are making this NBA MVP race very interesting as we prepare for the calendar to flip over to 2025.</p><p><i><b>Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-luka-doncic-rejoins-top-5-nikola-jokic-insane-numbers">Week 7</a> | <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-nikola-jokic-leads-giannis-antetokounmpo-jayson-tatum">Week 6</a> | <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-giannis-antetokounmpo-charges-back-into-race">Week 5</a> | <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-nikola-jokic-overtakes-jayson-tatum-anthony-davis">Week 4</a> | <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-nikola-jokic-dominance-overlooked">Week 3</a> | <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-shai-gilgeous-alexander-leads-jayson-tatum-anthony-davis">Week 2</a> | <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-mvp-mondays-24-25-jayson-tatum-dominance-celtics-title-chances">Week 1</a></b></i></p><h2><b>1. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Nikola-Jokic-warming-up-1.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous ranking: #1</i></p><p><i>2024-25 season stats: 23 games, 30.9 points, 13.0 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 56.3 FG%, 50.5 3P%</i></p><p>The only reason the Nuggets are 15-11 is because Nikola Jokic has put the team on his back and led them to a one-point win against the Sacramento Kings, as well as a three-point overtime win against the New Orleans Pelicans recently. If it wasn’t for Jokic, the Nuggets may be in the same position as the Pelicans near the bottom of the West standings.</p><p>Jokic currently leads the NBA in triple-doubles (11) and ranks second in scoring behind only Antetokounmpo. As long as he is practically averaging a triple-double on the season and the Nuggets remain near the top of the West standings, it will be hard to argue that Jokic shouldn’t be the MVP, especially since he may be the <i>most valuable player </i>in the league when it comes to how much his presence means to Denver.</p><h2><b>2. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Giannis-dribbling.jpg"><figcaption>Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous ranking: #2</i></p><p><i>2024-25 season stats: 24 games, 32.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, 61.3 FG%</i></p><p>When the Bucks were 2-8 and sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, there was plenty of talk about this organization needing to tear everything down. Now that the Bucks are 15-12, they are on the cusp of becoming a top-four team in the East, and this is all because of what Giannis has accomplished on the court.</p><p>Aside from leading the league in scoring, Giannis leads everyone in shots made (307), ranks sixth in rebounding, 11th in blocks per game, and first in player efficiency rating. This metric usually helps dictate who wins the MVP award, at least over the last few seasons, so this could be a telling statistic for Antetokounmpo vs. Jokic.</p><p>As long as Giannis leads the league in scoring and keeps the Bucks surging up the standings, his MVP case will only grow.</p><h2><b>3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-dribbling-1.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous ranking: #4</i></p><p><i>2024-25 season stats: 27 games, 30.3 points, 6.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, 50.8 FG%, 33.5 3P%</i></p><p>The Thunder are currently 22-5 this season and have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-shai-gilgeous-alexander-says-no-excuse-mentality-led-winning-streak">technically only lost once in their last 12 games</a> since the NBA Cup championship game doesn’t count towards their record. In 27 games, Gilgeous-Alexander has recorded 30 or more points 14 different times. Only Giannis has done so more times this season.</p><p>What is even more impressive about Gilgeous-Alexander’s numbers is that he’s scored below 20 points only once. He has also scored below 25 points only once in his last 17 games, not including the NBA Cup championship. When it comes to scoring and commanding his team’s offense, SGA has been the best player in the league.</p><p>Without Chet Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander has put the Thunder on his back and elevated the team to new heights. They may be undersized and inexperienced, but his leadership is the reason why Oklahoma City has gone from a feel-good story to being the favorite in the Western Conference.</p><h2><b>4. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jayson-Tatum-dribbling-2.jpg"><figcaption>Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous ranking: #3</i></p><p><i>2024-25 season stats: 26 games, 28.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.2 steals, 46.3 FG%, 37.2 3P%</i></p><p>At this point, there’s nothing Jayson Tatum can do anymore to prove that he is a legitimate MVP candidate. Aside from how good the Boston Celtics are, Tatum is nearly averaging a double-double this season and just below 30 points per game scoring. Tatum has done enough talking about why he should be MVP, which is why <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-kristaps-porzingis-jayson-tatum-mvp-pr-him">Joe Mazzulla and Kristaps Porzingis have increased their efforts for Boston’s star.</a></p><p>“Yeah, no question. 100 percent. It does because I think he’s been doing it for such a long time, and he’s on a really good team,” Mazzulla said recently of Tatum’s greatness interfering with his MVP campaign. “I think that hurts him sometimes, but his ability to do what he does on a great team, I think, says more about who he is as a player. But, yes, for sure.”</p><p>Porzingis agreed with Mazzulla’s comments, even saying that Tatum isn’t a “PR player” in the sense that “he doesn’t do everything for PR.” Tatum has been great on both sides of the court this season and deserves more respect in this MVP discussion.</p><h2><b>5. Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Mavericks-Luka-Doncic-after-scoring-against-the-Warriors.jpg"><figcaption>Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><i>Previous ranking: #5</i></p><p><i>2024-25 season stats: 20 games, 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 2.1 steals, 45.9 FG%, 35.5 3P%</i></p><p>Whether or not Luka Doncic can truly be in the NBA MVP race depends on his health and the Dallas Mavericks’ ability to remain at the top of the Western Conference standings. Regardless of statistics, whoever has a better record at the end of the season between Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Doncic will surely hold significant weight.</p><p>In regards to health, Doncic has missed eight games this season. He must play in at least 65 games to be eligible for MVP, which means Doncic is only allowed to miss nine more games this year. The Mavs star has been banged up at times this year and could inch dangerously close to this eligibility number.</p><p>Three triple-doubles in his last four games, including a 45-point triple-double in a 143-133 win against the Golden State Warriors, is why Doncic is inside the top five of the NBA MVP rankings.</p><h2><b>Just missing the cut</b></h2><p>6. Karl-Anthony Towns – New York Knicks (Ranked No. 7 last week)</p><p>7. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs (Ranked No. 10 last week)</p><p>8. Anthony Davis – Los Angeles Lakers (Ranked No. 6 last week)</p><p>9. Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns (Ranked No. 8 last week)</p><p>10. Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers (Unranked last week)</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA MVP Mondays: Giannis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander use NBA Cup to tighten race

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/thunder-news-shai-gilgeous-alexanders-honest-admission-not-playing-christmas');   ga('set', 'title', 'Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s honest admission on Thunder not playing on Christmas');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Thunder-news-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexanders-honest-admission-on-OKC-not-playing-on-Christmas.jpg"></figure><h1>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s honest admission on Thunder not playing on Christmas</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T14:30:01-08:00">December 23rd, 2:30pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T14:30:01-08:00">December 23rd, 2:30pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Despite leading the Western Conference standings and ascending to becoming a championship contender, MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder are not playing on Christmas Day. The association will showcase its best marquee matchups. Amid <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-shai-gilgeous-alexander-says-no-excuse-mentality-led-winning-streak">Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s seven-game winning streak</a>, a reporter asked the All-NBA guard his thoughts on Oklahoma City being left off the Christmas Day slate of games.</p><p>Gilgeous-Alexander was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTeRv46e02o&amp;t=100s" rel="noopener">honest</a> in his response.</p><p>“Disappointed for sure,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I’d love to play on Christmas Day and I think we’re that caliber of a team. The NBA makes [its] decisions; you can’t slight them for it. The ball’s in our court to prove to them why we deserve to play on that day. And we have a whole 82 games season and the playoffs to do so.”</p><p>Given how the Thunder have dominated the Western Conference, holding down the top spot for most of 2024-25, it’d be a shock not to see them left off one of the five games on tap for Christmas Day.</p><h2><b>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says ‘no excuses’ led to Thunder streak</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Thunder-All-Star-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander_de2b26.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and the Oklahoma City <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-jalen-williams-sounds-off-grueling-schedule" rel="noopener">Thunder’s grueling travel schedule recently</a>, back-to-back wins against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat extended their winning streak to seven straight. For Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s ‘no excuses’ mantra led to the focus they needed to seal a pair of single-margin victories after losing the NBA Cup finals to the Milwaukee Bucks. </p><p>In the likely scenario of Thunder picking up a “scheduled” loss, as many teams face throughout the 82-game regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t want that for his team and did everything in his power to avoid it.</p><p>“We didn’t want to make an excuse,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We, I like to say, have the best jobs in the world. It sounds crazy, but it’s a little bit spoiled. We played basketball two nights in a row and got paid to do so. It’s so insane. Do you know what I mean? We have an amazing opportunity. We’re blessed to be in this position, and personally, I love playing basketball. So, I didn’t see the opportunity as insane, I saw it as something I get to do, and I love it.”</p><p>Williams scored a season-high 33 points on 12-of-25 attempts, including 5-for-7 from the free-throw line. Gilgeous-Alexander added 25 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. The Thunder will look to extend their winning streak to eight when they host the Wizards on Monday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s honest admission on Thunder not playing on Christmas

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/thunder-news-shai-gilgeous-alexander-says-no-excuse-mentality-led-winning-streak');   ga('set', 'title', 'Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says Thunder’s ‘no excuse’ mentality led to winning streak');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Thunder-news-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-says-OKCs-no-excuse-mentality-led-to-winning-streak.jpg"></figure><h1>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says Thunder’s ‘no excuse’ mentality led to winning streak</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T06:17:35-08:00">December 23rd, 6:17am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T06:17:35-08:00">December 23rd, 6:17am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took the opportunity to remind reporters of the blessed life he’s living as an NBA star. Despite the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-jalen-williams-sounds-off-grueling-schedule">Thunder’s grueling regular-season schedule of late</a>, Gilgeous-Alexander put things into perspective following Oklahoma City’s back-to-back wins against the Magic and Heat. He says his team embraced the challenge of traveling from Las Vegas to Florida, not wanting to make any excuses as to why their regular-season winning streak ended.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-jalen-williams-disappointed-take-losing-nba-cup-bucks">Thunder’s NBA Cup loss to the Bucks</a> does not count toward the regular season, granting the Western Conference’s No. 1 team the opportunity to stretch their five-game winning to seven on a back-to-back set in Florida. After beating the Magic 105-99, they followed up with a 104-97 win against the Heat.</p><p>After the win, Gilgeous-Alexander <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTeRv46e02o&amp;t=100s" rel="noopener">talked</a> about his mindset heading into the challenge.</p><p>“We want to make an excuse,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We, I like to say, have the best jobs in the world. It sounds crazy, but it’s a little bit spoiled. We played basketball two nights in a row and got paid to do so. It’s so insane. Do you know what I mean? We have an amazing opportunity. We’re blessed to be in this position, and personally, I love playing basketball. So, I didn’t see the opportunity as insane, I saw it as something I get to do, and I love it.”</p><p>But where does that perspective come from?</p><p>“I think it’s my parents raising me,” Gilgeous-Alexander replied. “Humility and being humble was like always the first thing. And just being grateful for the opportunity. So many people in the world don’t have the same opportunities that I’ve had as a kid growing up, and I do today. And not to say my life has been perfect by any means, but it’s been better than a lot always to be grateful.</p><p>“And if you look at life through that lens, usually good things happen to you, and I think that’s how I got here,” Gilgeous-Alexander concluded.</p><h2><b>Jalen Williams sounds off on Thunder’s grueling schedule of late</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Thunder-All-Star-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-next-to-Thunder-forward-Jalen-Williams.jpg"><figcaption>Rhona Wise-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams discussed the grueling schedule after beating the Heat. After the win, Williams delivered his take on the Thunder’s impressive back-to-back wins.</p><p>“We’re some dogs, man. And I don’t mean the barking stuff we do. That is a crazy travel schedule, and Cup games are a little more intense, and obviously, we go down to the wire for both teams,” Williams said. “Miami and Orlando, who are really good defensive teams, and good teams in general.”</p><p>The Thunder will host the Wizards on Monday night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says Thunder’s ‘no excuse’ mentality led to winning streak

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/thunder-news-jalen-williams-endorses-shai-gilgeous-alexander-shoe-release');   ga('set', 'title', 'Thunder forward Jalen Williams endorses Shai Gilgeous-Alexander new shoe release');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jalen-Williams-endorses-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-new-shoe-release.jpg"></figure><h1>Thunder forward Jalen Williams endorses Shai Gilgeous-Alexander new shoe release</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T15:31:09-08:00">December 20th, 3:31pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T15:31:09-08:00">December 20th, 3:31pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams is excited for his teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s new shoe release. Earlier this year, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/shai-gilgeous-alexanders-bombshell-converse-deal-hints-at-signature-shoe">Gilgeous-Alexander hinted at a signature shoe with Converse</a>, the company he inked an endorsement deal with after the 2019-20 campaign after a brief stint with Nike. His first signature sneakers dropped on August 14. However, after the unveiling of Gilgeous-Alexander’s logo, his second drop will cater to his style.</p><p>After Thursday’s win against the Magic, a reporter asked Williams about Gilgeous-Alexander’s newest sneakers. Williams <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD0XyuldcSo&amp;t=157s" rel="noopener">revealed</a> he’s seen the latest sneakers and is thrilled for Gilgeous-Alexander’s upcoming release.</p><p>“I’ve actually seen the shoe. I saw the shoe a while ago. Extremely excited, well-deserved, obviously, Shai is a creative, and he’s like the guy in the fashion world,” Williams said. “Not many people have a signature shoe. Not many people, what is he? The creative director for Converse? I’m very excited for him to unveil that. He’s worked really hard for it. I’m excited for the world to see that. It’s a really good shoe. So, I’m excited for him.”</p><p>Gilgeous-Alexander expressed Williams’ excitement for releasing his original sneakers without unveiling specifics. However, SGA kept his response short and sweet when opening up about the upcoming release.</p><p>“I’m in love with the shoe,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I can’t wait for it to come out, and I hope the rest of the world loves it, too.”</p><h2><b>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pioneers own wave in Converse shoe drop</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Thunder-All-Star-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Last week, Jalen Williams watched Converse unveiled Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s new logo. A reporter asked about the logo before the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-jalen-williams-keys-defending-giannis-antetokounmpo-nba-cup-final" rel="noopener">Thunder’s NBA Cup final against the Milwaukee Bucks</a>. Gilgeous-Alexander helped design the Converse SGA logo and takes pride in helping roll out the new sneakers. </p><p>He takes pride in doing things in a unique way, and he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BC0EQswEok&amp;t=345s" rel="noopener">found</a> that platform with Converse.</p><p>“I try to be a pioneer. I try to create my own wave on and off the court. I try to just do things my way. Growing up, I was always taught to be a leader, never a follower. So, that’s kind of instilled in me. Then, I drew the logo and created it myself, and I’m glad it came to life, for sure.”</p><p>Fittingly enough, the Thunder were visiting the Toronto Raptors in Canada, Gilgeous-Alexander’s native country, when the logo was released. It was on a billboard near the arena before the Thunder’s 129-92 win on December 5.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Thunder forward Jalen Williams endorses Shai Gilgeous-Alexander new shoe release

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/thunder-news-shai-gilgeous-alexander-shares-eye-opening-take-tradition');   ga('set', 'title', 'Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shares eye-opening take on Thunder’s tradition');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Thunder-news-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander-shares-eye-opening-take-on-OKCs-tradition.jpg"></figure><h1>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shares eye-opening take on Thunder’s tradition</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T07:56:35-08:00">December 20th, 7:56am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T08:41:11-08:00">December 20th, 8:41am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After beating the Orlando Magic 105-99, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder did their group interview with TNT’s sideline reporter, Stephanie Ready, prompting the question about the team’s tradition. During any Thunder player’s walk-off interview, that player is next to by a group of teammates, to which Gilgeous-Alexander explained the reason behind it after bouncing back from their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-jalen-williams-disappointed-take-losing-nba-cup-bucks">NBA Cup finals loss to the Milwaukee Bucks</a>.</p><p>The Thunder are a tight-knit group, and to exemplify that togetherness, Gilgeous-Alexander <a href="https://x.com/BrandonRahbar/status/1869934056143827270" rel="noopener">says</a> no player does their walk-off interview by themselves, per Daily Thunder’s Brandon Rahbar.</p><p>“To show our togetherness. We don’t do anything by ourselves,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We win together, lose together, shop together, go to dinner together. Everything’s together.”</p><p>After a dominating second quarter in which the Thunder outscored the Magic 36-18, they were on the wrong end of a 22-3 run after halftime. Orlando held Oklahoma City to 17 third-quarter points after Gilgeous-Alexander finished the first half with a whopping 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting. However, the Thunder kept their opponent at bay in the final frame without surrendering their lead once.</p><p>Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 35 points, six assists, four steals, and two blocks. Isaiah Hartenstein notched a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds), four steals, three assists, and one block, and Jalen Williams added 11 points and seven assists.</p><p>On the second night of a back-to-back set, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-vs-heat-prediction-odds-pick-12-20-2024">Thunder will head south to play the Heat</a> on Friday.</p><h2><b>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addresses the Thunder’s grueling schedule</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Thunder-All-Star-Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander_d3b2ef.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After beating the Magic, Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addressed the brutal turnaround from their NBA Cup final exit in Las Vegas to resuming their regular-season schedule. Reminding his teammates of what’s important, he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD0XyuldcSo&amp;t=94s" rel="noopener">ensured</a> everyone was on the same page and dialed in for the team’s back-to-back games in Flordia.</p><p>“I was intentional, for sure. Two things: coming out of a tournament, like, we’re in the finals of something, and have to turn around play game 26 of the NBA season is a little bit odd,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I wanted to bring [some] juice. I wanted to show the team that it’s almost like going back to reality, back to what matters, and back to what our end goal is.</p><p>“Then, our schedule, going from three hours back timezone, flying four hours, taking off at 10, and landing at 5 in another city, and turning around, and playing; that’ll never happen in an NBA season, you know what I mean? I wanted to own that and not use it as an excuse,” Gilgeous-Alexander concluded.</p><p>Thunder will look to sweep their two-game set on Friday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
30.6	5.6	6.1	1.1	2.0

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
30.6	5.6	6.1	1.1	2.0

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shares eye-opening take on Thunder’s tradition

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