Don't throw yourself away. How many times, in learning basketball, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander heard this instruction? Not to jump on a shooter when you are late for it. In this playoff Game 6 in Dallas, “SGA” threw himself at PJ Washington and committed a fatal foul.
There were only 2.5 seconds left and the Thunder still had a small point lead. The Canadian from OKC was responsible for restoring the advantage to his team on the previous possession, by sending Chet Holmgren on a plateau in the “alley-oop”.
Luka Doncic then tried to initiate an attack in the racket, but had to take the ball out in the corner towards PJ Washington. The latter suffered this fault from “SGA” therefore, who bit at his feint and flew away, touching the ball and his forearm.
Let him shoot
“ I shouldn't have faulted him. We talk about it all year long, the little things that help win matches. And to be disciplined. It sucks. It is obvious that if I could have looked back at the moment, I would not have made a mistake and would have let him in or missed his shot. “, regrets the rear.
At the time, he did not really challenge the whistle, reviewed by the referees at the request of Mark Daigneault, who used a “challenge”. But the officials observed that “SGA” “ starts by touching the ball, but then slips and clearly makes illegal contact “.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was unable to watch the action in question again. “ I guess I was at fault if they watched it and still didn't cancel it. » A terrible whistle for the Thunder and him. Because PJ Washington was going to convert his first two attempts, to restore the advantage to Dallas, before deliberately missing the 3rd to waste a little time for the visitors.
The latter, having no more time-outs available, relied on a missed prayer from Jalen Williams. OKC touched the equalizer with their fingertips and the Game 7 that could be announced.
Support from Chet Holmgren
“ It sucks. The way it ended, kind of just my fault with that 3-pointer, it sucks. My teammates did so much throughout the night to put us in the position we were in, but that last possession and the little details… », says the team leader, author of 36 points in this match, his fifth in a row with 30 points or more.
“ I don't know if words are enough to do it justice. I feel like everyone saw what he did, not only in this series, in this game, but throughout the season. “, blurted out Chet Holmgren, wanting to expel his leader’s guilt over this latest action.
“ The importance of an action is scrutinized because it decided the match, but without it, we would not have even led by a point with 12 seconds remaining. I look at myself, I look at all my choices in the final stretch where I was half a second late, where I didn't make this choice, where I didn't make this other… I put that to myself on the back », displays the interior, in solidarity with its leader.
