Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

68-win teams certainly aren’t one for panicking. But, as a second-half scoreboard showed the Oklahoma City Thunder trailing by seven — and teetering on the edge of a 3-1 series deficit — a blue-jerseyed hero was needed in the worst way possible. Perhaps, then, it only made sense for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to fly in undetected, swooping between the Indiana Pacers’ high screen-and-roll pass attempt for a steal, followed by a much-needed fastbreak layup immediately thereafter. There remained work to be done, but for the league’s newly-named Most Valuable Player, it became a signature moment during his 23-point, three-steal outburst over the final two quarters. By buzzer’s sound, Gilgeous-Alexander’s final tally included 35 points, three rebounds, three steals, one block, and a 3-pointer, joined by his trusted efficiency from the field (12-of-24) and from the charity stripe (10-of-10). It proved to be precisely what Oklahoma City needed to secure a series-tying Game Four, steering their path for a championship just nine nights later.

Championship Year

MVP Year