Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was one of the most dominant players in the NBA this season. But a defensive mistake by the Hamilton native contributed to a season-ending loss for his Oklahoma City Thunder.
With the Thunder up 116-115 on the Dallas Mavericks in the final seconds of Game 6, Mavericks big man P.J. Washington rose up to shoot a corner three. Gilgeous-Alexander reached out and blocked the shot but was called for a foul, giving Washington three free throws.
The Thunder challenged the ruling and different angles showed Gilgeous-Alexander getting his hand on the ball before striking Washington. However, the foul was upheld upon review due to one specific detail in the NBA rulebook.
“During the review we saw that Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) initially starts on the ball, but then he slides off of it and clearly makes illegal contact with (P.J.) Washington’s arm while he still has control of the ball and is in the act of shooting,” head official Tony Brothers told a pool reporter after the game. “Since the ball was not dislodged by the contact, the ensuing contact to the arm is illegal. Had the ball been dislodged when Shai hit it, the contact afterwards would have been deemed marginal, which did not happen here.”
var adServerUrl = “”;
var $el = $( “#video_container-981388” );
var permalink = $el.closest(‘.snet-single-article’).data(‘permalink’);
/*
if ( “1” == true && ‘undefined’ !== typeof window.getIndexAds ) {
var so = {preroll:{1:{1:{siteID:191888},2:{siteID:191889}}}};
adServerUrl = window.getIndexAds( ‘http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640×360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300×250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6353209186112&cmsid=384’, so, permalink);
} else {
adServerUrl = “http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640×360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300×250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6353209186112&cmsid=384”;
}
*/
adServerUrl = “http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640×360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300×250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6353209186112&cmsid=384”;
var adServerUrl_result = adServerUrl.includes(“cust_params”);
var queryString=”;
if(adServerUrl_result){
var gettheDUFI = localStorage.getItem(“theRED_loc”)
if(gettheDUFI){
queryString += “dufiid=” + gettheDUFI + ‘&’;
queryString += “ppid=” + gettheDUFI + ‘&’;
var ppid = “ppid=” + gettheDUFI + ‘&’;
}
var DUFI_IP = sessionStorage.getItem(“DUFI_IP”)
if(DUFI_IP){
queryString += “dufiip=” + DUFI_IP + ‘&’;
}
adServerUrl = adServerUrl.replace(/cust_params=/, ppid + ‘cust_params=” + encodeURIComponent(queryString) );
}
$el.after( unescape(“%3Cscript src=\”” + (document.location.protocol == “https:” ? “https://sb” : “http://b”) + “.scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\” %3E%3C/script%3E”) );
$( document ).one( “ready’, function() {
$( “#video_container-981388” ).SNPlayer( {
bc_account_id: “1704050871”,
bc_player_id: “JCdte3tMv”,
//autoplay: true,
//is_has_autoplay_switch: false,
bc_videos: 6353209186112,
is_has_continuous_play: “false”,
adserverurl: adServerUrl,
section: “”,
thumbnail: “https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/6353209186112-1024×576.jpg”,
direct_url: “https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/video/gilgeous-alexander-fouls-washington-on-three-point-attempt/”
});
});
var adServerUrl = “”;
var $el = $( “#video_container-953694” );
var permalink = $el.closest(‘.snet-single-article’).data(‘permalink’);
/*
if ( “1” == true && ‘undefined’ !== typeof window.getIndexAds ) {
var so = {preroll:{1:{1:{siteID:191888},2:{siteID:191889}}}};
adServerUrl = window.getIndexAds( ‘http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640×360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300×250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6353209186112&cmsid=384’, so, permalink);
} else {
adServerUrl = “http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640×360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300×250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6353209186112&cmsid=384”;
}
*/
adServerUrl = “http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?sz=640×360&cust_params=domain%3Dsportsnet.ca&iu=%2F7326%2Fen.sportsnet.web%2FVideo&ciu_szs=300×250&impl=s&gdfp_req=1&env=vp&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&ad_rule=1&vid=6353209186112&cmsid=384”;
var adServerUrl_result = adServerUrl.includes(“cust_params”);
var queryString=”;
if(adServerUrl_result){
var gettheDUFI = localStorage.getItem(“theRED_loc”)
if(gettheDUFI){
queryString += “dufiid=” + gettheDUFI + ‘&’;
queryString += “ppid=” + gettheDUFI + ‘&’;
var ppid = “ppid=” + gettheDUFI + ‘&’;
}
var DUFI_IP = sessionStorage.getItem(“DUFI_IP”)
if(DUFI_IP){
queryString += “dufiip=” + DUFI_IP + ‘&’;
}
adServerUrl = adServerUrl.replace(/cust_params=/, ppid + ‘cust_params=” + encodeURIComponent(queryString) );
}
$el.after( unescape(“%3Cscript src=\”” + (document.location.protocol == “https:” ? “https://sb” : “http://b”) + “.scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\” %3E%3C/script%3E”) );
$( document ).one( “ready’, function() {
$( “#video_container-953694” ).SNPlayer( {
bc_account_id: “1704050871”,
bc_player_id: “JCdte3tMv”,
//autoplay: false,
//is_has_autoplay_switch: false,
bc_videos: 6353209186112,
is_has_continuous_play: “false”,
adserverurl: adServerUrl,
section: “”,
thumbnail: “https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/6353209186112-1024×576.jpg”,
direct_url: “https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/video/gilgeous-alexander-fouls-washington-on-three-point-attempt/”
});
});
After the review was upheld, Washington made his first two free throws to put his team up 117-116. He then missed the final shot to run the clock out and give the Mavericks a 4-2 series victory.
For his part, Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t dispute the call when speaking to media after the game.
“I shouldn’t have fouled him,” the Canadian star said, adding he had no interest in seeing a replay of the incident. “We talk about it all year. The little things that go into winning games. And being disciplined, and it sucks. Obviously, if I had them on my back, I wouldn’t have found them. And just let them make or miss the shot. But, yeah, you know, basketball, you win some, you lose some mistakes.”
“If it was a clear-as-day foul, I obviously wouldn’t have challenged it and held the timeout,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault added. “Even if you advance the ball with 2.5 seconds at a deficit, your chances are very low.”
Despite his role in the way the game ended, Gilgeous-Alexander still put in a strong effort with his team’s season on the line. The 25-year-old had a playoff-high 36 points — including 4 of 5 from three — and added eight assists. This after a season in which he finished second in MVP voting and averaged over 30 points for the second consecutive year.
With the Thunder now out, Gilgeous-Alexander and teammate Lu Dort will turn their attention to the Paris Olympics, where they will try to lead Team Canada to the podium.
With files from The Associated Press.
