Stiles Points: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Puts Stamp on MVP Case vs. Pacers

The Oklahoma City Thunder earned a big win over the Indiana Pacers despite trailing for most of the night. It was in large part due to the MVP level play of superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Dec 26, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander skipped down the floor after sinking a contested triple at the 59 second mark, he not only sealed a 120-114 comeback win over the Indiana Pacers but changed the MVP conversation entirely.

This entire season it has been a hodgepodge of narratives and talking points to push the OKC Thunder down the list of MVP candidates. Is what Nikola Jokic doing out of this world? Absolutely. Is Giannis Antetokounmpo having a stellar season, including a dominating NBA Cup title game that doesn't count? You bet. Are either of them the MVP? No.

At some point, the wins have to count for something, especially in a statistically close race. The Nuggets sit with a 16-12 record, the no. 5 seed out West, with plenty of blunders in the mix. The Bucks have battled back from the deep after many buried them due to a slow start to the year to turn in a 16-13 record, still only sitting as the fifth seed out East in basketball's hinterlands.

Here sits the Thunder, with a 24-5 record - owning the top spot in the West and the second-best record overall - despite its injury luck that has seen Isaiah Hartenstein, Kenrich Williams, Jaylin Williams, Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso all miss time this year with the latter two still in street clothes. Holmgren, the team's second-best player, is parked on the pine for the majority of the regular season.

That, along with regression from Gilgeous-Alexander's role players in the shooting department and being saddled up with an inconsistent third year co-star, has not detered the Thunder from a 68 win pace.

While Oklahoma City was always expected to be the top seed out West, the path to get to this point has been anything but a joy ride. Still, the consistency from Gilgeous-Alexander allows the team to not just stay afloat but swell a 3.5 game cushion on its competition for the top spot.

With Luka Doncic sidelined for at least another month, the MVP discussion turns into a three-horse race between Antetokounmpo, Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander. According to the NBA's MVP ladder, the Thunder superstar is the runner-up for the award, same with the ESPN early season straw poll.

It isn't as though Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't have the gaudy numbers to compete with the two former award winners. After a fifth place and runner up finish for the award the past two seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has only improved averaging 30.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. All while shooting 51 percent from the floor, 34 percent from deep and 87 percent at the charity stripe.

The Thunder star is among the most unguardable players in the league with his ability to get past defenders, score at all three levels and the addition of simple reads into his bag to help elevate the roster.

At this point, the body of work is three seasons deep with each year Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder improving. That ascension is tied together. Sure, the Thunder were the No. 1 overall seed a year ago, but via a tiebreaking miracle in San Antonio in the final days of the season. Now, the Thunder are on pace to comfortable sit atop the west even with all the adversity faced.

This is far from a super team or finished product, even if the overall team statistics suggest otherwises - that is just a testiment to the value of Gilgeous-Alexander. As is such in Milwuakee and Denver, if you strip the Thunder star out of Bricktown the level of play is much different, as seen by Jalen Williams' 20 point on 22 shot night in Indiana on Thursday.

Young teams are not supposed to be as good as Oklahoma City is, they usually can't figure out how to win this soon but they usually don't have a Gilgeous-Alexander.

So cast you ballot for a couple of former MVPs that are collecting stats without the team success despite playing alongside former all-stars and cores that have already won titles if you want to. But if this scribe had a vote it would go to Gilgeous-Alexander and his ability to take over games not just for individual - but team success.

Stiles Points

• Kenrich Williams was stellar off the bench in helping the Oklahoma City Thunder bust the Pacers zone defense and find an offensive groove. Williams finished with nine points, six rebounds and a game-best +13.
• Ajay Mitchell continues to look every bit the veteran guard in a rookie body. The second-round pick is dazzling on the ball, ability to get to his spots at the rim and reading the floor like a ten-year pro. Couple that with his high-level defense and you see why he is an instant staple in Mark Daigneault's rotation.
• Jalen Williams continues to labor offensively, posting 20 points on 22 shots - the third-year guard has to get more consistently physical at the rim.
• Isaiah Hartenstein logged a double-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds, an assist and a block in this Oklahoma City Thunder win.
• The Thunder have a nine-game winning streak with a date in Charlotte with the Hornets on deck Saturday.

Song of the Day: Starman by David Bowie

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