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The 2024-25 campaign continues to be an outstanding one for star Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 26-year-old is averaging 32 points per game, placing him at the top of the NBA. He unsurprisingly earned a selection to the NBA All-Star game and was named a starter, but made history on top of those things as well.
Sportsnet Stats pointed out another accolade Gilgeous-Alexander has crossed off.
“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander First Canadian in history to be named as an NBA All-Star starter in back-to-back seasons,” Sportsnet Stats reported via Twitter/X.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s sixth season in a Thunder uniform is on pace to be the best of his career at this point.
The No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft has started in 42 of the Thunder’s 43 games so far this season. In addition to his league-leading 32 points per contest, he is averaging 5.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.1 blocks and 2.1 steals per outing while shooting 53% from the field.
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game is set to take place on Feb. 16 at 11 p.m. ET on TNT. A new format is making its debut this season. Instead of the traditional matchup between the East and West All-Stars, four teams will play in a three-game tournament.
How is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doing in the MVP Race?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been nothing short of impressive throughout the season, but where does he stack up against other top players when it comes to the MVP Race?
According to NBA.com’s Shaun Powell, Gilgeous-Alexander has held steady at the top rung of the MVP Ladder once again.
“The good times continue for Gilgeous-Alexander as the Thunder, fresh off a romp over the East-leading Cavaliers, show no sign of slowing down anytime soon,” Powell wrote. “Same for Gilgeous-Alexander as he has dipped under 30 points just twice this month (in blowout wins) and leads the league in scoring and is No. 3 in steals.
And the Thunder schedule lightens up from here, with a pair against the short-handed Mavericks, plus the Jazz, Nets, Blazers and Warriors. All of which provide a chance for Gilgeous-Alexander to put up even bigger numbers.”
According to Powell, Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Karl-Anthony Towns and Victor Wembanyama round out to top five. The rest of the top 10 includes Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Alperen Sengun, Cade Cunningham and Anthony Davis.
Gilgeous-Alexander keeps showing why he is regarded as one of the NBA’s top performers and why he will be so difficult to beat out for the prestigious award.
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NBA Insider Reveals Biggest Concern to Lakers’ Title Chances
The Los Angeles Lakers believe that they can win the championship next season after finishing as the third seed in the Western Conference this past year. Bringing in Luka Doncic midway through the year gives them the confidence that they can score with anyone in the league. They also brought in some help at the center spot by signing Deandre Ayton. While LA feels good about the improvements that they made to the roster this offseason, one NBA insider doesn't believe that they addressed one concern enough for them to win a title. More news: Lakers Criticized for Passive Approach to Trade Market by Anonymous NBA Executive NBA insider claims the Lakers are too bad at center to win a title According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, he believes that the Lakers' biggest concern is at the center spot. "Nothing the Lakers do is under the radar, so this potential pitfall might seem more obvious than the other contenders' concerns. But until proved otherwise, L.A. is soft in the middle." Ayton doesn't have a lot of fans around the league after the Portland Trail Blazers paid him to go away. This is the second team that has cast him aside due to effort issues. Ayton played with the Phoenix Suns when they made the NBA Finals in 2021, so it's not like he hasn't been playing in competitive games. To see him not care at multiple stops is alarming. If the Lakers can get him to try harder when he's on the court, this signing might work out for them. If they can't get him to improve his effort, the Lakers aren't going to win a title. More news: Lakers Hiring Former Mavericks Award-Winning Coach The Lakers need the center spot to be better in order to win the title Jaxson Hayes clearly wasn't a good enough starter last season once Anthony Davis was traded away, but they are hoping he is a great backup. He had the best season of his career last year. It still all comes back to Ayton and his ability to finish better around the rim and block shots. The defense got shredded in the playoffs, especially in the paint. If Ayton plays up to his potential, this Lakers team has a real shot to win it all. If he's the same guy he was in Portland, he might be released at the end of next year. Latest Lakers News For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
3 Ways Craig Berube Is Changing the Maple Leafs’ DNA
When Craig Berube took over behind the Toronto Maple Leafs bench in May 2024, it wasn’t just about swapping one coach for another. Toronto brought him in to change the way the team thinks, plays, and competes. Less about tweaks, more about rewiring the team’s DNA. DNA Change 1: The Maple Leafs Have Moved From Star Reliance to Team Accountability For years, the Maple Leafs leaned on pure offensive talent to cover for defensive lapses. Berube’s not buying it. Under his watch, everyone—from Auston Matthews to the last guy on the fourth line—is held to the same standard. If you don’t compete shift to shift, you won’t get minutes. That doesn’t mean the stars won’t shine, but they’ll have to do it while committing to a 200-foot game. Matthews’ defensive reads are now a feature, not a bonus. William Nylander is being pushed to round out his play. And role players like Matthew Knies or Nicolas Roy have a clear mandate: excel in your lane. DNA Change 2: The Maple Leafs Have Moved to Structure Over Chaos In the Berube era, the Maple Leafs won’t be the same freewheeling team fans have known. Expect layers of structure—consistent forechecking, five-man defensive units, and smarter puck management. It’s hockey built for playoff survival, not just regular-season fireworks. That might mean fewer highlight-reel plays, but it’s the kind of style that doesn’t break under pressure in May. Of course, the jury remains out on the success of this venture. DNA Change 3: The Maple Leafs Now See Culture as a Competitive Edge Perhaps Berube’s biggest shift is intangible: culture. He’s stripping away the drama and replacing it with clarity and purpose. In St. Louis, that approach turned a last-place roster into Stanley Cup champions in 2019. In Toronto, it’s already giving young players and depth guys a clear role, while keeping the stars invested in the same system. That unity—between front office, coaching staff, and players—is something the Maple Leafs have chased for years. If Matthews can emerge as a leader in this venture, all the better. The Maple Leafs Might Not Win Pretty, But … The 2025–26 Maple Leafs might not always win pretty, but if Berube’s changes stick, they’ll be harder to play against, more resilient in tight games, and less likely to beat themselves. And that, in Toronto, might be the real breakthrough.
Analyst’s bold take warns Commanders may have made huge offseason blunder
The Washington Commanders are currently dealing with some wide receiver issues heading into the season. An NFL analyst poured more fuel on the fire by proclaiming that Adam Peters will regret a huge call earlier this offseason. Terry McLaurin is not practicing and hasn't for months as his contract battle with the Commanders goes on. Others lower down the depth chart are coming in for increasing criticism, which leaves general manager Adam Peters with a potential problem on his hands if they cannot turn the tide before Week 1. The Commanders' wideout regeneration began by letting Dyami Brown walk in free agency. Although the former third-round pick displayed much-improved performances down the stretch and into the playoffs, it wasn't enough for Peters to give him an extended stay. NFL analyst believes Commanders could regret letting Dyami Brown walk Brown ended up signing a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars that includes $9.5 million guaranteed. He's made his presence felt over the summer, drawing praise from quarterback Trevor Lawrence and head coach Liam Coen. This is the time of year he always flourished in Washington, but putting it together in a competitive setting was far more challenging. That didn't stop Brock Vereen of CBS Sports from labeling Brown as a sleeping giant ready to take over in 2025. The analyst thought his stock was low right now, but the Commanders could be kicking themselves for letting him go when it's all said and done. Stock right now is low on him because, 'Oh, Washington got rid of him. They replaced him with Deebo Samuel. He only landed a one-year deal.' This is a sleeping giant. Liam Coen knew exactly what he was doing. Dyami Brown is a versatile weapon. He can take handoffs, he can catch the ball, he can line up anywhere on the field. He even has pass attempts over his career. He can do everything and will be probably the most forgotten offensive weapon coming off of the Travis Hunter hype.Brock Vereen via SI Brown always flattered to deceive in Washington. He had every physical tool imaginable to be successful, but consistency never got close to the required standard. Peters takes sentiment out of every equation. The front-office leader didn't think the North Carolina product was worth what Jacksonville was willing to pay. And he pivoted accordingly. There probably won't be much regret around Brown's departure, regardless of whether he performs well with the Jaguars or not. He had countless chances to establish himself as a long-term option and almost always failed to deliver. If he'd done so, the Commanders would have rewarded him with a new deal. That wasn't the case. And there are still more questions than answers around Brown despite his promising start in the Florida sunshine. More Commanders news and analysis
Perhaps Superman Paul Skenes has found his kryptonite
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes may continue to be one of the top contenders for the National League Cy Young Award, but there is one place where he has appeared mortal this season. On Tuesday night, the Milwaukee Brewers did to Skenes what they have done to plenty of MLB pitchers in 2025 ... put up big offensive numbers. For the second time this season (Skenes also pitched in Milwaukee on June 25), the Brewers forced him from the game after just 4.0 innings on Tuesday night, logging six hits and four runs during his time on the mound. Both of those performances came at Milwaukee's home stadium (American Family Field) and both are now Skenes' shortest outings of the season. While another NL Central team has put up more runs against Skenes this season (the St. Louis Cardinals nicked him for five runs in 6.0 innings on April 8), no other team has had the same kind of success over multiple starts by Skenes in 2025 as have the Brewers inside their home stadium. In all this season, Skenes has given up 10 hits and eight runs in 8.0 innings in Milwaukee. It was his third career outing on the road against the Brewers, with his lone 2024 start representing arguably the best outing of his rookie season. On July 11, 2024, Skenes struck out 11 and didn't allow a hit over 7.0 innings as the Pirates would eventually post a 1-0 victory. Tuesday's short outing was highlighted by a pair of Milwaukee home runs, including a leadoff solo shot by Sal Frelick that quickly set the tone for the Brewers. While Milwaukee's hit parade helped raise Skenes' ERA on the season to 2.13, it's hardly any reason for concern in a season where the 23-year-old right-hander is still a heavy favorite (-600) to win the NL Cy Young Award, per BetMGM. Skenes struggling in Milwaukee is likely more yet another stamp of approval on the Brewers' potential to be a threat once the postseason arrives. With an 18-4 record since the All-Star break entering Tuesday, Milwaukee has taken over the NL Central race from the Chicago Cubs. So what's the good news for Skenes? This is Pittsburgh's last trip to Milwaukee this season and the next-to-last series for the Pirates against the red-hot Brewers. Milwaukee will visit PNC Park for a three-game series on Sept. 5-7, and if Skenes gets a chance for revenge against Milwaukee, there couldn't be a better place for him to take the mound. This season, in 11 starts covering 68.2 innings, Skenes has a 1.70 ERA in the Steel City.
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