Stan Van Gundy claims Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander actually isn’t getting enough calls

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to get to the free-throw line frequently has garnered remarks from former NBA head coach Stan Van Gundy during the Oklahoma City Thunder’s matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.

Gilgeous-Alexander is going through the eighth season of his career, his seventh with the Thunder. He has risen through the ranks to become one of the top stars in the league, earning MVP honors last season.

Gilgeous-Alexander tends to receive criticism for his elite ability to draw fouls to make his way to the charity stripe. He has been averaging eight or more free throws over the last four seasons, including this ongoing campaign.

Van Gundy talked about the Thunder star’s trait of absorbing contact, per reporter Brandon Rahbar. The former coach had an intriguing statement, believing that Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t getting to the line as much as he should.

“I’m not sure he’s getting all the calls he should,” Van Gundy said.

How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder played against Timberwolves

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ended up getting just five free throws as the Thunder faltered in a 123-111 loss to the Timberwolves.

Oklahoma City got off to a poor start, trailing 34-22 after the first quarter. While they stabilized themselves for the remainder of the game, they were unable to spark a rally to take control of the momentum and fight back against Minnesota.

Five players scored in double-digits for Oklahoma City in the loss, including Gilgeous-Alexander. He finished with a stat line of 30 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and one steal. He shot 12-of-18 from the field, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. Chet Holmgren came next with 15 points and five rebounds, Cason Wallace had 13 points, Isaiah Hartenstein put up 11 points and five rebounds, while Aaron Wiggins provided 10 points and five assists.

Oklahoma City fell to a 38-11 record on the season but maintain control over the top spot in the Western Conference standings. They are five games above the San Antonio Spurs and 5.5 games above the Denver Nuggets.

The Thunder will look to bounce back in their next matchup, remaining on the road. They face the Nuggets as tip-off will take place on Feb. 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

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