Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is earning plaudits worldwide by solidifying himself as an MVP frontrunner in recent weeks. Shai’s play is gaining him new fans every day. Bill Simmons has been fond of Shai for years but he took a big step in his recent appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio by saying Shai is better than Celtics’ star Jayson Tatum.
“SGA is a top-five guy in the league. Somebody had to go and I was surprised because I put him ahead of Tatum. The reason, I think at the end of these games, I’ve watched SGA the entire season, whoever the other team’s best player is, he’s matched the guy or outplayed him. It’s happened too many times now. You can’t discount it anymore because he’s on a small-market team.”
“SGA is a Top 5 guy in the league now”
Founder of The Ringer, @BillSimmons, tells @TermineRadio & @JumpShot8 why he ranked the Thunder’s star over Tatum. pic.twitter.com/hyuj9j29Jo
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) January 3, 2024
Simmons is a Boston native and a big fan of the Celtics, so his picking Shai in this battle shows how good he’s been this season.
Tatum is averaging 27.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on the best team in the NBA. However, there have been plenty of moments where Tatum has disappeared in the clutch, often being bailed out of tough situations by the strength of the roster around him. Nonetheless, he’s the leader of the Celtics and has performed admirably overall.
Shai’s Thunder weren’t expected to be nearly as good as the Celtics, but are achieving similar levels of success in a tougher conference. Shai is averaging 31.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 2,6 steals this season, clearly outperforming Tatum individually. They’re both young and this argument will develop over the years.
Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander The Best Guard In The NBA?
We’re finally at the point where we need to have a serious conversation about Shai as the best point guard in the NBA. Luka Doncic has been incredible over the last five seasons, with many giving him the title for years, with Stephen Curry also taking the unofficial title after his 2022 title triumph. After Shai beat out Steph for All-NBA First Team alongside Luka last season, it’s clear that the battle for the best PG in the NBA is between Luka and Shai.
Luka may be the single most impactful offensive player in the NBA because he can do everything on the ball. He’s the heart of the Mavericks offense, as the team can’t function competently without his creation and scoring. He’s averaging 33.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.4 assists this season and is coming off a December where he averaged 37.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 11.1 assists in the absence of Kyrie Irving.
Shai is a two-way threat, leading the league in steals this season. His offense isn’t as impactful as Luka’s and he has a better team around him, but it’s hard to say Shai isn’t the best point guard in the NBA this season. He leads the Thunder out of hairy situations to earn big wins, as proven over the last 10 days with wins over the Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Celtics.
It’s hard to evaluate them because Shai’s team has been healthy and has a better roster than the Mavericks, but it’s fair to say that Shai should be ahead of Luka in MVP ladders this season.
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