Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander first Canadian to match Steve Nash NBA honour

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Until this week only one Canadian had ever been voted as one of the NBA’s 15 best players in the season-ending tally.

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Steve Nash was named to an All-NBA team seven times in a career that eventually saw him enshrined in the hoops hall of fame. He made the All-NBA first team three seasons in a row, earning league MVP honours for two of those campaigns, the second team on two occasions and the third team in both 2001-02 and 2002-03.

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Until this year, Nash was the only Canuck to make the cut. But the last time was back in 2010. Now, Nash finally has company, since Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was rightly rewarded for a magnificent season with a spot on the All-NBA first team.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard, had previously been announced as the fifth-place finisher in MVP voting, and like with that vote managed to get more All-NBA support than any other guard in the NBA. So, you can accurately claim that for the first time since Nash was starring for the Phoenix Suns, a Canadian is the best guard in the NBA.

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Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points per game (fourth in the league) on 41% shooting, led all players in free throw makes (shooting a Nash-like 91% from the line) and in 30-point games. He was basically unstoppable in leading the Thunder to a play-in berth in a season where most pundits pegged them as a stretch to win even 30 games entering the year.

When the Los Angeles Clippers traded everything but the kitchen sink years ago to pair Paul George with Kawhi Leonard some thought they might regret dealing so many first-round picks. As it’s turned out, the rise of Gilgeous-Alexander paired with the failure of the Clippers to stay healthy has turned the deal into a complete disaster.

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Instead of creating a Western Conference powerhouse in L.A. it ended up providing Oklahoma City with the centrepiece of the league’s most intriguing young nucleus.

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Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t even turn 25 until July and after raising his scoring numbers for five straight seasons (from 10.8 per game as a rookie, to 19 as a sophomore, to 23.7, 24.5 and now north of 30), the only question is just how high his ceiling might be.

MURRAY, BARRETT, WIGGINS MAKING MARK

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points including the dagger to help the 10th-seeded Thunder advance over New Orleans in a play-in game, before the season ended against Minnesota in the battle for the final playoff spot. Still, other Canadians made it to the post-season and a few are still making significant marks. Kitchener’s Jamal Murray has averaged 25.9 points per game for Denver in 10 playoff games so far (11th amongst all players) before being listed as questionable for Thursday’s game. Murray has scored at least 32 points in four of Denver’s playoff games. Meanwhile, Mississauga’s RJ Barrett has averaged 20.1 for New York, including 22.8 against Miami, the third-most of any players in the series. Barrett came up big in Game 5 to hold off elimination and has hit 41% of his three-point attempts.

Vaughan’s Andrew Wiggins also had a huge Game 5 outing for Golden State and has been solid for the defending champions.

AROUND THE RIM

ESPN reported Thursday that Adrian Griffin, Nick Nurse’s lead assistant while with the Raptors, has been given permission to interview for the head coaching opening in Milwaukee. Griffin is also in the mix to step up in Toronto, as well as for other openings … Parity reigns in the NBA. For only the third time since 2005, but second straight season, all four conference semifinal series will go at least six games.

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