Oklahoma City Thunder star and newly crowned league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was masterful in Game 1 of the WCF series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the MVP hasn’t necessarily been on the receiving end of adulation for his antics.
The Thunder star has repeatedly been called out for his “flopping” and “foul-baiting” style of play. While this has brought him immense success when it comes to getting to the charity stripe, most fans haven’t been in favor of it.
This aspect has gathered more traction in the WCF. With the team receiving significantly more media attention than before, fans have started taking note of Gilgeous-Alexander’s methods.
In light of this, a viral image surfaced from Game 1 displaying the MVP’s “foul face” as he fell to the floor, willingly, without receiving any contact from surrounding Timberwolves’ players.
Fans on social media were incensed after seeing this image, and with very little reason to hold back, they poured in with their reactions.
“I can hear him scream AYY!”, said one fan.
“Randle confused too,” said another, referring to the Wolves forward, leaning away from the Thunder star.
“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plays the most sad brand of basketball I’ve ever seen,” added another fan, uploading a compilation of the star’s foul-baiting antics.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plays the most sad brand of basketball I've ever seen
— Per Sources (@PerSources) May 21, 2025
Another fan jokes about phantoms on the court and added, “The ancestors fouled him… zoom in.”
One fan in particular was reminiscing the glory days of physical basketball in the NBA. They added to the conversation by saying, “Can we go back to 80/90s basketball. No blood or takedown, no foul?”
“That face says IT ALL,” exclaimed another fan, pointing out the egregious expression made by the guard.
“He can’t keep getting away with this,” said a fan, seemingly tired of the act.
One fan in particular made a very critical observation and added, “This is a still picture before he even goes up for a shot! If you’re gonna try to provide evidence, it will need to be better than this.”
Meanwhile, one fan, who was in favor of the guard’s display, said, “That’s crazy man, flopping is an art.”
“shxt crazy fr bro. Mind you this how the nba controlling the pace of the game,” added another fan, building conspiracy theories about the NBA and its manner of operation.
Safe to say, fans have largely not been in favor of Gilgeous-Alexander’s approach to the game. However, it is also safe to say that the method has proven to be immensely effective, especially against the Timberwolves.
Although the league MVP was called out by Doris Burke during the game, he was still the most threatening player on the floor. His game-high 31 points, to go with five rebounds and nine assists, helped OKC clinch a dominant 114-88 win to secure a 1-0 lead for the series.
But the spotlight is certainly brighter now that there is more attention being diverted to the way the Thunder guard approaches offense. This could be of benefit to the Timberwolves, and it would be largely detrimental to OKC’s efforts moving forward.
Apart from Gilgeous-Alexander, the rest of the Thunder rotation looked largely ordinary. While this could be attributed to Daigneault staggering the minutes for most of his starters after the third quarter, OKC will hope to see more significant contributions from their main rotation in Game 2.
The upcoming game has significant connotations for the rest of the WCF series. For the Thunder, it is an opportunity to grasp momentum before hitting the road. Meanwhile, for the Timberwolves, it could present a chance to secure a major advantage before heading to the Target Center.
With the game penciled in for Thursday night May 22nd at 8:30 pm, the two best teams in the West will fight for control of the series.
