With a single possession left to determine the winner in a duel between two of the Western Conference’s elites, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed the defending champions that some things, unfortunately, cannot be defended. Calm and collected in the types of moments that define reputations and Most Valuable Player cases, the Oklahoma City Thunder star uses a shifty behind-the-back to gather intel on a defender, following it up with a left-side drive. Sensing a chance to use a defender’s momentum against him as only he can, Gilgeous-Alexander spins and pivots before calmly raising into a game-winning fallaway jumper, silencing the Denver Nuggets’ crowd. The two-time All-Star proved ready for his close-up in a Playoff-like environment, producing a sizzling-hot 11-point fourth quarter takeover on the way to 25 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and two steals, fueling a big-time win on December 16, 2023. · Dec 17, 2023