Editor’s note: The NBA MVP award is voted on by 100 members of the media, chosen by the league. Voting takes places before the postseason. USA TODAY Sports reporter Jeff Zillgitt has a vote.
Coming off a second-place finish in last season’s MVP voting, Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals in OKC’s 2024-25 season-opening victory against the Denver Nuggets.
Two games later, he had 35 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and three blocks. Two games after that, 30 points, and in the Thunder’s 11th game, he scored 45 points, delivered nine assists and had five steals in a 134-128 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Gilgeous-Alexander got off to a great start. He kept playing like an MVP, and Oklahoma City kept winning.
The Thunder finished 68-14 and earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and Gilgeous-Alexander is one of three finalists for MVP after averaging a league-best and career-high 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks and shooting 51.9% from the field, 37.5% on 3-pointers and 89.8% on free throws. No guard attempted more free throws per game (8.8) and he led the league in free throws made per game (7.9).
An All-Star and first-team All-NBA guard who is the best player on the best team deserves the MVP.
That’s Gilgeous-Alexander.
To be fair in this conversation, there is no best, most correct answer between Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, another finalist and the winner of three of the past four MVPs. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is the other finalist.
Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-way star. The Thunder were No. 1 defensively and No. 3 offensively, allowing 106.6 points and scoring 119.2 points per 100 possessions for a league-best plus-12.7 net rating. They were the only team to finish in the top-3 in offensive and defensive rating, and Gilgeous-Alexander had a major role on both ends of the court.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance efficiency rating (PER) – which is a measurement of the good and bad a player does on the court – was second-best at 30.73, and it’s rare for a guard to reach a per of of at least 30. James Harden in 2018-19 was the last guard to hit 30, and Gilgeous-Alexander’s mark is the second-highest of any guard in the past decade, only behind Steph Curry’s 31.56 in 2015-16.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s consistency was elite from start to finish. There were no down months, and in March, he averaged 34.7 points and 7.4 assists and shot 51.7% from the field, 41.3% on 3s and 92.9% on free throws.
It was a career year – one that should make him the NBA’s 2024-25 MVP.
The NBA MVP award winner will be announced Wednesday night before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals (7 ET, TNT).
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander clear NBA MVP winner. Making his case
