Stiles Points: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Should Win the MVP Award

The Oklahoma City Thunder could be in first place after Sunday's games and it should put Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the driver's seat for the MVP award.

Apr 12, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder (56-25) could still capture the top seed in the rough-and-tumble Western Conference on the final day of the regular season. While they would need a three-way tie atop of the conference to pull off this feat, the fact it is even a discussion is a testament to superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

However, as the Most Valuable Player debates heat up around the NBA, Gilgeous-Alexander is the forgotten musketeer. Someone changed the rules of the game in the middle of playing.

The NBA MVP has never gone to the best player in the world consistently, or else Michael Jordan's and LeBron James' mantle would be more crowded than they already are. This has more often than not been a blend of fantastic on-court play with a narrative behind it.

That is exactly where Gilgeous-Alexander thrives. Not only has he taken a squad projected to win 44.5 games by Vegas to 56 win heights and a shot at the top seed in the toughest conference in basketball, but is averaging 30.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.9 stocks per game which features a league-best two stelas per game.

On top of being the league's most efficient scorer on ball scorer, the Oklahoma City Thunder have seen a massive dip when their MVP candidate is not on the floor, showing they would be vying for the play-in tournament instead of the top spot without his impact both offensively and defensively.

While Luka Doncic has had a fantastic run in the last 18 games to steal headlines, this is n 82-game season and had Gilgeous-Alexander not attempted to play through injury at the end of March, his averages would look even better.

As Doncic is praised for "Somehow getting the Mavericks to the fifth seed" in the same conference, without an NBA Finals proven co-star, Gilgeous-Alexander has lifted the Thunder to at worst the third seed.

If you go off past voting habits, the MVP award would be returning to Oklahoma City for the third time. However, there's been a change of habit almost as bad as Elvis' 1969 film.

Stiles Points:

• The Oklahoma City Thunder could fall anywhere between Seeds No. one and three after tonight's game against the Dallas Mavericks, View a breakdown here.
• Mark Daigneault was asked how a young team has continuously bought into a model as simple, and boring, as stacking days without straying from the message at practice on Saturday. It is easy with such a mature group of youngsters.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder have a shot at 57 against a short-handed Dallas Mavericks squad which would be their best mark since 2013-14.
• The OKC Blue will take on the Maine Celtics in Game 3 of the NBA G League Finals on Monday and should get some help from Ousmane Dieng, Lindy Waters III, Olivier Sarr, Adam Flagler and potentially Keyontae Johnson who remain in Oklahoma City for now just 24 hours until tip-off.

Song of the Day: Faith by Geroge Michael.

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