Game 1 lit a fire under the Western Conference Finals like few ever have. Paycom Center roared as the Oklahoma City Thunder stormed past the Timberwolves with a 114 to 88 statement win. The pace was electric, the intensity unmatched. Anthony Edwards teased early control, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rewrote the script with poise and power. Then came the whispers. Fouls. Favoritism. Drama.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is no saint on the hardwood, but he is a mastermind. Critics call him unethical. Others say he just cracked the code. Drawing fouls is not a flaw in his game—it is the blueprint. He reads defenders like open books and bends the rules without breaking them. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. Because Shai is not cheating the game. He is just outsmarting it. Every single time. And Stephen A. Smith is seeing things through even when his ESPN colleagues aren’t.
Stephen A. Smith denies “too many foul calls” allegations on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SGA knew exactly what he was doing on the court on Tuesday. He got Rudy Gobert in the air, leaned in, flung the ball up, and earned his free throws. It was bold. It was smart. But was it basketball? Maybe not. But that’s the most interesting thing here: Shai’s foul-baiting is working. Thus, answering Molly Qerim’s pressing question about whether the 26-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder point guard gets too many calls, Stephen A. Smith went defensive.
“I’m going to say no,” the veteran analyst stated. “And here’s why I’m going to say no: because the calls he gets, he earns playing the game of basketball.” He added, “The brother knows how to create contact. You know, he’s a legit six-seven, six-eight with marvelous ball-handling skills, gets into the lane at his discretion. He knows how to utilize his body; he throws out pump fakes, spin moves. He can handle the rock and dance on you; he can do whatever.” Despite a shaky night from beyond the arc, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander found other ways to dominate. In 38 minutes, he poured in 31 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out nine assists, and swiped three steals. Although he shot just 10 of 27 from the field and went scoreless on four three-point attempts.
.@stephenasmith doesn’t believe SGA gets too many calls.
What do you think? pic.twitter.com/P8k529Udd6
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 21, 2025
“And so, when you have that kind of skillset and then you have the ability to finish with a mid-range that pulls up— I mean, this guy hits about 48% of his mid-range shots in the postseason. You know what Ant-Man is in the postseason for mid-range? 7%, 1-of-14 mid-range,” Stephen A. Smith set the records straight between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards. “So, you’re either hitting threes or you’re finishing at the basket. That’s Ant-Man’s game. SGA—There is no limit to his game. He’s not the strongest three-point shooter in the world. Ant-Man was at 38% throughout these playoffs. He was at 29%, but he still goes out there and gives you 30-plus.”
You see, Gilgeous-Alexander is not drawing fouls. He is earning them. With slick handles, fearless drives, and the finesse to finish at the rim, he leaves defenders with no choice but to foul. He creates chaos, then carves out calm. So no, you cannot blame the whistle. He writes the script, and the refs simply follow the plot. So, “I can’t turn around and then say, ‘Oh, he’s getting too many calls,’ when he’s the one that’s creating it,” SAS concluded.
The league faces backlash from Stephen A.’s ESPN colleagues
Who is to be blamed in a situation where foul-hunting or foul-baiting flips the script for the opponents that had a clear edge in the game? Some people would believe it’s the foul-hunter’s fault, while others would blame the league. On the Hoop Collective podcast, Tim MacMahon stated, “I didn’t think officiating was an issue here. It was Shai’s foul-hunting. Of course, he was. It honestly wasn’t. I mean, that was all they had going off.”
Meanwhile, Tim Bontemps chipped in, “It was a game where the Thunder shot more free throws than their opponent. This is not a commentary on the referees at all. If it’s a physical game like it was today, and the Thunder shoots more free throws than their opponent, they’re going to feel like they’re going to win the vast majority. Of course, because the game is being officiated in their favor.” OKC had 26 FTs, out of which 21 made it through the hoops. But speaking of the entire season, OKC led the chart for free throws.
Tim MacMahon pointed out the irony, saying, “If that’s the 68-win team that complained about the free throw disparity against them all year long… yeah, if they get more free throws than the other team, they’re going to feel.” Meanwhile, Bontemps captured the heart of it all. He said, “I’ll just say yes,” before painting the picture. The Thunder play tough. If Shai is getting to the line and they are out free-throwing the opponent, then “the game is a rough and tumble game.” That roughness, he stressed, comes despite OKC’s size disadvantage. Yet, that very edge gives them power. In a league of giants, the Thunder found their fight—and it worked.
So, Game 1 was more than a win. It was a declaration. While critics debate ethics and fouls, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is simply rewriting how the game is played. He does not bend the rules—he bends the defenders. And when the court gets chaotic, he remains calm. So, love it or loathe it, the Thunder have found their fire. And right now, it is unstoppable.
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