Describing SGA as a foul merchant seems extremely disingenuous.

[HotRocks34]

SGA was 2/13 in the first half of G1 against MIN and OKC was down 4.

That's a cushion.

Bench scoring in the first half (I think)
OKC 13-3 [this is wrong; see next post]

[azcatz11]

It’s not that he’s getting to the line a lot - good players like him do. It’s the way he’s getting to the line. He gets a whistle like no other. Which is absolutely insane because of how physical guys like Dort play on the other end

I agree. The game is super physical and refs aren't calling anything and he gets a soft whistle on a touch foul. The refs are conditioned to call fouls when he is touched for some reason

[zimpy27]

SGA was 2/13 in the first half of G1 against MIN and OKC was down 4.

That's a cushion.

Bench scoring in the first half (I think)
OKC 13-3

Yeah but he led their surge past OKC. Isn't that good?

[Enso]

You said every fan is saying it, so I am going to assume you mean every fan is saying it.

No thats not what it means. I said fans from every fanbase which is like saying a portion of fans or some fans from every fan base feel this way. Maybe English isn't your first language so now stress homie.

English isn't my first language. Logic is.

To learn without thinking is fruitless; To think without learning is dangerous

[CIN-C-STAR]

You can’t make a judgment like this by looking at a box score. Watch the game. When he’s being put on the line he’s trying to create GREAT LOOKS. If he’s getting fouled in the process than it’s bad defense.

Big diff between getting fouled while looking for good shots and doing what harden and Tatum do by lifting their arms into their defenders arms while driving recklessly to the basket

I did watch the game and half of those calls aren't fouls let's be real. Shai initiates the contact, flops with his arm and proceeds to fall to the ground.

That's not basketball

It is basketball. Nba rules are designed to protect and benefit the offense. Once the defender is shifted out of position and to the side of the offense. The defense can’t continue to try and impede the offenders profess.

SGAs ability creates the space and it’s up to the defense to play honestly or foul. They choose to foul. Harden, Embiid and Tatum are more FT merchants than SGA is. SGA to me is extremely crafty. I don’t think people understand how good SGA is because of how his box score FTs look at the end of a game.

Yeah we know and it’s probably the dumbest interpretation of the rules we’ve ever seen.
The idea that throwing yourself into a defender is a legit way to produce points because the defense should NEVER be even slightly out of position is insane.
In every sport people get out of position, and then are given a chance to get back in the play with effort. There is both technique AND effort.
Without that, it is just a skills exhibition because of course defenders will get slightly out of position on most plays — the offense knows what’s coming and the defenders don’t.
If you also give the offense the advantage of throwing themselves into or grabbing defenders just because they are turned at a slight angle or not back peddling directly to the rim or even just going for a routine close out, then it isn’t really a competition anymore.
And yes it’s completely an INTERPRETATION of the rules and not the actual rules. This is proven by the disparate play between the regular season and the playoffs, even though the rules don’t change.
So it’s basically an opinion, one that defies basketball history, the norms of other major basketball leagues, and conveniently manufactures stars and exciting box scores.
I can’t believe people actually support this. Must be FTA’s agent’s burner account or something

[Upperclass]

I’m not liking how they try to paint SGA to be like harden (shooting layups under his opponents arms).

SGA is extremely slippery, has insanely good footwork, and has really good ball handling. The way nba rules are designed benefits the offense since the defense can’t really be physical with the offense. SGA is super crafty and his skill makes it next to impossible to stay in front of him. If you decide to continue to pursue him while out of position, you deserve the foul call.

I can’t speak on the reg season cause I didn’t watch okc much but SGA is a BEAST on offense.

He’s good but its no different from Harden, DWade, Luka

[HotRocks34]

SGA was 2/13 in the first half of G1 against MIN and OKC was down 4.

That's a cushion.

Bench scoring in the first half (I think)
OKC 13-3

Correction. The G1 first half bench scoring edge was 13-8 OKC, not 13-3.

But....MIN bench was 3/20 from the field for 8 points and OKC bench was 4/7 for 13 points.

Huge difference.

OKC's enormous edge is its bench. Credit to the team for getting them and developing them. It's paying off now.

[Special_Puppy]

Depends how you define it? He leads the league in FTs (not FTAs) per 100. His free throw rate (basically the number of FTAs you get per FGA) is good but not league leading

[AussieCeltic]

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Where’s the foul?

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?s=46

Shot out of a cannon

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?s=46

Trips over own feet

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?s=46

Just flat out flops

[HotRocks34]

SGA was 2/13 in the first half of G1 against MIN and OKC was down 4.

That's a cushion.

Bench scoring in the first half (I think)
OKC 13-3

Yeah but he led their surge past OKC. Isn't that good?

Definitely. But if the OKC bench isn't rolling the MIN bench, that opportunity may not come.

Again, SGA is one of the best players in the game. I don't think that's really debatable.

[walk with me]

I’m not liking how they try to paint SGA to be like harden (shooting layups under his opponents arms).

SGA is extremely slippery, has insanely good footwork, and has really good ball handling. The way nba rules are designed benefits the offense since the defense can’t really be physical with the offense. SGA is super crafty and his skill makes it next to impossible to stay in front of him. If you decide to continue to pursue him while out of position, you deserve the foul call.

I can’t speak on the reg season cause I didn’t watch okc much but SGA is a BEAST on offense.

He’s good but its no different from Harden, DWade, Luka

Very different.

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/AbmU3A1soA8 Many of hardens foul draws are like this. SGA does do this. Neither does Dwade.

Dwade does the pump fake then jump into you thing. Harden, Embiid and Tatum are in their own worlds.

SGA and Luka are different players

[Enso]

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Where’s the foul?

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Shot out of a cannon

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Trips over own feet

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Just flat out flops

[walk with me]

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Where’s the foul?

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Shot out of a cannon

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Trips over own feet

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Just flat out flops

1-2-4 he has his man beat on every play. You can’t collide with the offense once you’re out of position. Fixing it would make the nba a full contact sport. SGA would literally move the defense out of position with his craftiness. If you touch him after being moved from in front of him it’s literally a foul lol. Regardless if you fall or not.

3 was a bad call and it ended up getting reversed but okc kept possession.

Edit: 1 was a weird call but it’s not like SGA was “searching” for the foul. He made the bucket anyways and it was a great shot. How does the ref making a weird call make SGA a foul merchant?

Edit 2: complaining about the 2nd clip is especially dumb (bill simmons). SGA has a clear blow by. Antman lifts his elbow under SGAs arm. In what world is that “NOT” a foul?

[sikma42]

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Where’s the foul?

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Shot out of a cannon

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Trips over own feet

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Just flat out flops

1-2-4 he has his man beat on every play. You can’t collide with the offense once you’re out of position. Fixing it would make the nba a full contact sport. SGA would literally move the defense out of position with his craftiness. If you touch him after being moved from in front of him it’s literally a foul lol. Regardless if you fall or not.

3 was a bad call and it ended up getting reversed but okc kept possession.

Genuinely curious, how old are you? Asking bc I’m curious as to where you get your interpretation of in position and maybe it’s something that has changed in how basketball is taught.

[mtron929]

To be honest, I am not even sure what is a foul anymore. If a big guy makes contact with a small guy with a same force as the small guy making a contact with a big guy, then you will get different results. But should a small guy be rewarded by virtue of being smaller? Should the big guy just take the contact because he is bigger?

[walk with me]

Genuinely curious, how old are you? Asking bc I’m curious as to where you get your interpretation of in position and maybe it’s something that has changed in how basketball is taught.

There’s no point in nba history pre 60s-now that you can lose your position on defense (not be squared up in front of your man) then make contact with him while he’s either driving to the rim or in the process of shooting. Changing that would make nba basketball some weird football/basketball combo.

Besides…. SGA shot attempts in clips 1/2/4 were great looks at the rim. Play 3 was a bad call that got reversed. People complain as if he’s not attempting excellent shots while being fouled. With the exception of the shot he made while being horizontal basically. A lot of his shot attempts (foul or not) were really good looks.

[MoneyTalks41890]

Genuinely curious, how old are you? Asking bc I’m curious as to where you get your interpretation of in position and maybe it’s something that has changed in how basketball is taught.

There’s no point in nba history pre 60s-now that you can lose your position on defense (not be squared up in front of your man) then make contact with him while he’s either driving to the rim or in the process of shooting. Changing that would make nba basketball some weird football/basketball combo.

Besides…. SGA shot attempts in clips 1/2/4 were great looks at the rim. Play 3 was a bad call that got reversed. People complain as if he’s not attempting excellent shots while being fouled. With the exception of the shot he made while being horizontal basically. A lot of his shot attempts (foul or not) were really good looks.

Play 1 the foul call is on the trip from McDaniels when Shai steps back. Watch the feet.

[zimpy27]

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Where’s the foul?

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Shot out of a cannon

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Trips over own feet

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Just flat out flops

1-2-4 he has his man beat on every play. You can’t collide with the offense once you’re out of position. Fixing it would make the nba a full contact sport. SGA would literally move the defense out of position with his craftiness. If you touch him after being moved from in front of him it’s literally a foul lol. Regardless if you fall or not.

3 was a bad call and it ended up getting reversed but okc kept possession.

Edit: 1 was a weird call but it’s not like SGA was “searching” for the foul. He made the bucket anyways and it was a great shot. How does the ref making a weird call make SGA a foul merchant?

Edit 2: complaining about the 2nd clip is especially dumb (bill simmons). SGA has a clear blow by. Antman lifts his elbow under SGAs arm. In what world is that “NOT” a foul?

Yeah some of these were great acrobatic plays too. I don't think these were the problem plays, one (the trip) was a bad call but was overturned.

SGA is slippery and changes direction constantly when driving, he used to be known for his euro and now defenders play him close, when he changes he gets bumped and fouled. If you don't defend SGA like this then he scores at a very high clip on drives. It's a tough cover.

[Capn'O]

To be honest, I am not even sure what is a foul anymore. If a big guy makes contact with a small guy with a same force as the small guy making a contact with a big guy, then you will get different results. But should a small guy be rewarded by virtue of being smaller? Should the big guy just take the contact because he is bigger?

This checks. All I know is Towns gets murdered and Brunson gets every call.

Even Steven.

[Black Jack]

I’m not liking how they try to paint SGA to be like harden (shooting layups under his opponents arms).

SGA is extremely slippery, has insanely good footwork, and has really good ball handling. The way nba rules are designed benefits the offense since the defense can’t really be physical with the offense. SGA is super crafty and his skill makes it next to impossible to stay in front of him. If you decide to continue to pursue him while out of position, you deserve the foul call.

I can’t speak on the reg season cause I didn’t watch okc much but SGA is a BEAST on offense.

He’s good but its no different from Harden, DWade, Luka

I do think that playes who initiate body contact into defenders shouldn't get rewarded as often.

End of day, it's an ugly playing style that is capable of being a winner, and nothing will change that.