Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reveals Stoic Reaction To ‘Flopper’ Chants

The OKC Thunder received some harsh chants from the hostile crowd in San Antonio during their Game 3 clash against the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals on Friday night. 

One of those is “flopper” chants for two-time reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The chant reverberated throughout the arena for long stretches in the second half. 

The Spurs went on to fall to the Thunder, 123-108, with Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 26 points on 6-for-17 shooting from the field and 12-for-12 from the free-throw line, along with 12 assists. 

After the game, Gilgeous-Alexander was asked about what he felt about the fans’ chants. To put it simply, Gilgeous-Alexander was as stoic as he could be. 

“It does nothing,” he said. “Doesn’t fuel me. Doesn’t discourage me. It’s part of the game. It’s nothing. I’ve been dealing with it a long time. I don’t really hear it, I’m focused on what’s going on on the court.”

All of Gilgeous-Alexander’s free throws came in the second half, around the same time the chants started, 

Gilgeous-Alexander consistently got defenders off their feet, fishing fouls even on his tough jumpers. He has also played through constant double teams against the Spurs throughout the series. 

In the game, the Thunder had just as many free throws as the Spurs, with 33. The Spurs were called with 28 fouls, while OKC was only whistled with 25. 

The Thunder’s win gave them the lead in the series and their second straight victory after dropping the series opener in OKC following Victor Wembanyama’s incredible 41-point and 24-rebound performance. 

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Spurs Head Coach Calls Out Players For Biting on SGA’s Foul Baits

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson did not blame the referees or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander himself for the team’s whistles. Instead, he called out his own players for biting on SGA’s foul baits. 

According to Johnson, the Spurs defenders have been handsy and undisciplined in guarding Gilgeous-Alexander throughout the series so far. 

“I think probably half of them were from undisciplined first off the floor,” Johnson said of Gilgeous-Alexander’s free throws. “He got us out of position and took advantage of it. Those 12 free throws helped out a lot and I can remember at least a few in my head right now that were undisciplined on our end.”

Gilgeous-Alexander got his primary defender Stephon Castle to pick up five fouls while his secondary defender Devin Vassell had four fouls in the game. 

Gilgeous-Alexander is now averaging a little over nine free throws per game this series and is expected to continue exploiting the Spurs’ defensive lapses for the succeeding games. 

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SGA Reveals Expectation For Spurs Fans

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expected a hostile crowd in San Antonio and is not bothered by it. 

In his post-game press conference, Gilgeous-Alexander said he knew he would not get much love in San Antonio and made himself ready for the challenge of playing through that. 

“I don’t expect their fans to love me. It’s not how it works,” he said. “They want their team to win. It’s that simple.”

Game 4 is seen to have the same energy as Game 3. It will tip off on Sunday, May 24, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time in San Antonio.

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