Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s trophy haul retains rising.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City guard who’s the reigning MVP and NBA Finals MVP, is the Clutch Player of the Year award winner for this season, the NBA introduced Tuesday.
It’s the first of what may very well be a number of awards for Gilgeous-Alexander in the coming weeks. He’s the heavy favourite to win a second straight MVP trophy — and since he is a finalist there, he is additionally a lock to make the All-NBA crew for a fourth straight yr.
“This award means a lot,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned on NBC Sports, which aired the award announcement. “To get this award, you have to help your team win games late, and what I’m about, more than anything, is winning games.”
Gilgeous-Alexander topped Minnesota‘s Anthony Edwards and Denver‘s Jamal Murray to win the clutch award.
Edwards did not attain the 65-game eligibility commonplace for many league awards similar to MVP and the All-NBA crew — and unsuccessfully appealed for a waiver that will have put him on these ballots — however his candidacy for the clutch award wasn’t affected by that rule.
Instead, the finalists for the clutch award have been determined by a survey of the league’s coaches. That whittled the group all the way down to 14 names, which have been then put onto the poll {that a} panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters who cowl the league stuffed out final week to determine the numerous awards.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been a contender for the clutch award because it was added to the league’s slate of trophies; he was third final season, eighth in 2024 and seventh in 2023.
“I’m proud I get to hoist it,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “It means I’m effective out there.”
Gilgeous-Alexander turns into the fourth participant to win the clutch award, which was added in tribute to Jerry West — the inspiration for the NBA’s brand and the participant lengthy often known as “Mr. Clutch” as a nod to his exploits when the final result of a sport was on the line.
De’Aaron Fox (then of Sacramento, now of San Antonio) was the first clutch award recipient in 2023, adopted by Golden State‘s Stephen Curry in 2024 and New York‘s Jalen Brunson final season. Brunson was a nominee once more this yr.
For a play to be thought-about clutch, by the NBA’s definition, these are the standards: The rating differential must be 5 factors or fewer, and the sport must be in both the closing 5 minutes of the fourth quarter or in time beyond regulation.
All three of the main vote-getters had compelling statistical arguments for the award:
– Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 175 factors in clutch instances, and was ninth with 21 assists in these conditions. The Thunder went 20-7 in the 27 clutch video games wherein he performed, and outscored opponents by 93 factors in these clutch conditions with him on the court docket.
– Edwards shot 56.5% from the area in clutch moments, the greatest of any of the league’s 19 gamers who had not less than 85 clutch-time factors this season.
– Murray was second in clutch factors with 166 and led the league with 30 clutch-time assists.
The clutch award was the second to be introduced this season. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama was the unanimous winner of Defensive Player of the Year, which was introduced Monday.
On Wednesday, the Sixth Man of the Year winner — both the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson, the Nuggets’ Tim Hardaway Jr. or Miami‘s Jaime Jaquez Jr. — might be revealed. The league’s Sportsmanship Award winner might be introduced Thursday, adopted by Most Improved Player on Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
