Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder sit six wins from the Larry O’Brien Trophy and a second consecutive championship, but one Spurs fan came prepared with a different trophy for the Oklahoma City star Sunday.
A woman sitting courtside at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio for Game 4 brought a mini Oscars-esque trophy that said “Best Flopper” on it, according to video and photos.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who has a reputation for alleged flopping and ending up on the court after attempting shots, even fell right in front of the fan during the opening quarter, according to The Athletic.
A Spurs fan holds a trophy during San Antonio’s Game 4 win against the Thunder. Getty ImagesIt marked the latest twist in how Gilgeous-Alexander has been received in San Antonio during the Western Conference finals, as he also encountered “flopper” chants in Game 3.
“It does nothing,” Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN after the Thunder’s Game 3 win.
“Doesn’t fuel me. Doesn’t discourage me. It’s part of the game. It’s nothing. I’ve been dealing with it for a long time. I don’t really hear it.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts during the Thunder’s Game 4 loss May 24. Getty ImagesGilgeous-Alexander leads all players in scoring this postseason by averaging 28.1 points-per-game, and he won his second consecutive MVP award May 17 — adding to a campaign where he earned a fourth consecutive All-Star Game appearance and averaged 31.3 points per game during the regular season.
That helped the Thunder earn the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed entering the tournament, but now, with the series going back to Oklahoma City for Game 5, their chances at a repeat title have suddenly become complicated.
The Spurs — behind Victor Wembanyama’s 33 points — crushed the Thunder 103-82 on Sunday in Game 4 to even the series at two games each, with Gilgeous-Alexander finishing with 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting from the field.
He also went a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to move the ball during the Thunder’s May 24 loss. NBAE via Getty Images“They just punched us in our face early,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters postgame Sunday.
“That’s two games in a row they’ve come out the aggressors. Last game, we were able to course-correct. [Sunday], we just didn’t do so. “






