Watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Calls Fan ‘Smart’ for Catching His Pass!

In a tense Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder managed to edge out the Minnesota Timberwolves, securing a 3-1 lead in the series. The Thunder executed several crucial plays toward the end of the game to thwart a potential comeback by the Timberwolves. One notable moment included MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander attempting to drain the clock by hurling the basketball down the court in the dying seconds of the game.

This strategy might have succeeded if not for an alert fan sitting courtside. The fan intercepted SGA’s pass, which inadvertently gave the Timberwolves another opportunity to inbound the ball. If the fan hadn’t caught the ball, the game clock would likely have run out. Recognizing the fan’s quick thinking, SGA acknowledged his smart move by pointing to his head and praising him.

A clip showing SGA complimenting the fan was shared on ESPN’s TikTok account.

This act of quick thinking by the fan earned high praise from the MVP himself.

The incident also sparked a humorous comment from commentator Doris Burke, who questioned whether the fan had “broken the plane” with his catch. This led to a brief discussion about whether, for the first time in history, referees might need to review a replay to determine if a fan was in or out of bounds.

This situation, coupled with another recent incident involving actor Jon Hamm at a Knicks-Pacers game, suggests that the NBA might need to consider specifying in its rulebook what constitutes a legal catch by a spectator.

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