Gilgeous-Alexander scores 42, puts Thunder on verge of sweep - ESPN

PHOENIX — With a little more than seven minutes remaining in Saturday's Game 3, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander split a pair of Phoenix Suns defenders in transition and finished through contact.

As the Suns called timeout, Gilgeous-Alexander balled up his fists and bounded toward the Oklahoma City Thunder bench.

«I don't need it!» Gilgeous-Alexander shouted, displaying a level of animated emotion that's rare for the usually even-keeled superstar. «I don't need it!»

No, Gilgeous-Alexander didn't need a foul called on that play nor did he need a friendly whistle to dominate the Suns, scoring a career playoff-high 42 points on 15-of-18 shooting to lead the defending champion Thunder to a 121-109 win at the Mortgage Matchup Center.

Up 3-0 in the Western Conference first-round series, Oklahoma City has a chance to complete the sweep in Monday's Game 4.

Gilgeous-Alexander is frequently criticized for so-called foul baiting, including after Game 2 by Suns forward Dillon Brooks, who referred to his Canadian countryman as «frail» while complaining about Gilgeous-Alexander «flopping and falling» to get whistles. However, Gilgeous-Alexander denied that any of that was on his mind as he gleefully hollered to his teammates about not needing a foul call.

«I just think they missed the call, but I scored anyway,» Gilgeous-Alexander said. «It's OK; don't worry about it. Nothing more than that.»

The Suns simply had no answers for Gilgeous-Alexander, even though Phoenix had more freedom to load up defensively against him with Oklahoma City star wing Jalen Williams sidelined with a left hamstring strain.

Gilgeous-Alexander went 15-of-18 from the floor and 11-of-12 from the free throw line, with half of his foul shots occurring in the