NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Oklahoma City Thunder are the favorites for winning the NBA title and their superstar player is a reason for that.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his first NBA MVP award on Wednesday.
The Canadian star and the league’s leading goal scorer issued career heights with 32.7 points and 6.4 assists per Fight that transported Thunder to No. 1 seed in the West with an NBA-best 68-14 record.
CLICK HERE for more sports cover at Foxnews.com
Oklahoma City Thunder-Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sees a shot against Minnesota Timberwolves-Guard Divincenzo (0) in the fourth quarter of match 1 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals in the Paycom Center. (Alonzo Adams/Imag images)
Gilgeous-Alexander finished in second place last year for Nikola Jokić. Thunder defeated Jokics Denver Nuggets in seven matches in the second round.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the 11th total choice of Charlotte Hornets in 2018, but was quickly traded for Los Angeles Clippers. However, he spent only one year there, and was part of a package that sent Paul George to Los Angeles.
Since trade, Gilgeous-Alexander has been a diamond in the rough, and he will soon be named the first team All-NBA for a third year in a row. He has also carried NBA in free throw, which was made per. Battle the last two seasons.
Oklahoma City Thunder-Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against Denver Nuggets in the second half during match 7 in the second round of 2025 NBA playoffs in the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City 18 May 2025. (Alonzo Adams/Imag images)
Oklahoma City started the western conference final with a 114-88 win over Minnesota Timberwolves, which fell in the same round to Dallas Mavericks last year. OKC pulled by four points at half, but Outscored Minnesota 70-40 in the second half.
This is the longest OKC that has been in the playoffs since 2016, when Thunder blew a 3-1 lead to 73-9 Golden State Warriors in the conference final. Warriors then did the same with LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Gilgeous-Alexander beat Jokić, who applied for a fourth MVP in five years. No one has won four MVPs in a five-year period since James did it from 2009 to 2013.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) from Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates during Game 7 in the second round of 2025 NBA playoffs against Denver Nuggets 18 May 2025, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. (Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
Jokić Averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per Match, the first time he average an average of an average of a triple double in one season. And he became the third player to do so, and joined Oscar Robertson and teammate Russell Westbrook, who has done it four times.
Oklahoma City, formerly known as Seattle Supersonics, is still looking for their first NBA title since Moving (Seattle won the NBA title in 1979). Thunder last made the NBA final in 2012 when they lost against James and Miami Heat.
