Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective · ESPN, Omaha Productions, Brian Windhorst

Did SGA End MVP Debate? + Best Year Of Kawhi Ever & A Big Question In The East

March 11, 2026·51 min·4 clips

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 35-point, 15-assist masterpiece against the Nuggets might have just ended the MVP debate.

Brian Windhorst and The Hoop Collective is ESPN's NBA podcast. The episode is recorded on a Tuesday afternoon from ESPN's Los Angeles offices, with Ben McMahon joining from Oklahoma City after covering the Monday night Thunder game. McMahon describes it as maybe the best regular season game he has covered all season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's stat line: 35 points, 15 assists, zero turnovers, 14-for-21 shooting. McMahon notes that the 35-point, 15-assist, zero-turnover combination has been achieved only once before in the turnover-as-official-stat era — by LeBron James in the 2017-18 season in a Cleveland Cavaliers win over the Toronto Raptors. McMahon describes as borderline iconic a post-game quote from Shai: I have the answers to the test, but I need to see the questions first, delivered when asked whether he knew he was going to the step-back. The Thunder were missing multiple key players: Isaiah Hartenstein with a calf contusion, Chet Holmgren out sick, Jay Williams still out with a hamstring injury, and Alex Caruso unavailable. McMahon notes the Thunder bench was notably populated with players in street clothes. Tim Bontemps is present in the studio, visiting the West Coast for what he describes as a rare occasion; he had packed in a scramble after waking up late and left his recording equipment at home, explaining why he is using a different room. The broader discussion addresses whether Shai's performance conclusively settles the MVP debate and also examines Kawhi Leonard's case for his best individual season.

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