Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t have many weaknesses. The two-time All-Star has averaged over 30 points per game in two consecutive seasons and led the Thunder to the Western Conference’s first seed this year.
However, “SGA’s” teammates seem to think that he’s not the greatest passer.
Thunder guards Jalen Williams and Isiah Joe bemoaned SGA’s lack of passing ability before Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. Looking at the stats, though, they may be being harsh on him. He averaged a career-high 6.2 assists per game this year, good for 19th in the league.
At the same time, SGA dwarfs the rest of his teammates in shot attempts per game, with 19.8. The second-highest is Williams with 14, and center Chet Holmgren comes in third with 11.6. This could be why his teammates feel that he doesn’t share the rock.
Should SGA work on his passing, or is his game fine the way it is?
SGA has room to grow, but he’s not a ball hog on the Thunder, either
Ironically, SGA led the team in assists per game in the regular season. The runner-up was fellow shooting guard Josh Giddey with 4.8, followed by Williams with 4.5.
Perhaps SGA overheard his teammates complaining about his passing, though, as he led the team with nine assists in a 117-95 victory over the Mavericks Tuesday. Of course, he also led the squad with 29 points and nine rebounds.
Granted, not all of his performances are this balanced. It’s also true that he’s not primarily known for his passing or lobbing abilities, in the same way that Chris Paul and Tyrese Haliburton are. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s a bad passer.
Maybe part of the issue is that his outfits distract from his actual game on the court, via the NBA’s X account.
All jokes aside, this was SGA’s third out of five total playoff games so far this year where he either led or co-led the team in assists. Part of the reason for this is because he handles the ball the most, as the offense flows through him. However, it’s worth acknowledging that he’s at least willing to pass and set up his teammates with good looks.
Furthermore, the current strategy is working. Oklahoma City has won all five of its playoff games thus far, with three of those wins being by double digits. Even if SGA isn’t the greatest passer in the league, does it matter if the team is winning anyway?
Granted, Williams and Joe may have been joking around with each other. However, the saying goes that “all good jokes contain truth.” Maybe SGA could improve his lob-throwing skills, but the team probably won’t be salty about it if it lifts the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June.
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