Trae Young on guarding SGA: minimal contact, dramatic reactions
Young describes his defensive approach against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a podcast appearance, sparking debate over flopping.
What to know
- Trae Young characterized his defensive contact against SGA as minimal while describing the player's reactions as dramatically exaggerated.
- Viewers documented what they characterized as consistent flopping by SGA during the Western Conference Finals broadcasts with minimal contact.
- Debate centers on whether SGA's reactions constitute flopping or are legitimate defensive responses, with disagreement on league standards.
The dispute Whether SGA's frequent falls during the Western Conference Finals resulted from legitimate contact or strategic flopping to draw fouls. · positions read across 9 posts and comments
SGA consistently flops and exaggerates contact; the league should address this pattern.
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“This was well documented during the WCFs...they were running "lowlights" during the broadcasts of SGA straight up falling down after shots with minimal or no contact. And this wasn't just occasionally...it was EVERY shot.”
onamonapizza · Reddit ↗
Physical defense is standard NBA practice and criticized only when it affects one's own team.
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“We have physical defenders and that shit is adored until it's your team that loses to it”
queezuswalks · Reddit ↗
Trae Young NBA player
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander NBA player
How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlespostscomments
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Trae Young describes defensive encounter with SGA on podcast
Young appeared on the Curious Mike Podcast and discussed guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, describing minimal contact that he characterized as drawing outsized reactions.
“I put my hand on his chest, and I didn't push or nothing… you would've thought I sent an Iron Man hand through his chest.”
— Trae Young -
first by Yahoo Sports, 21h ago
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This was well documented during the WCFs...they were running "lowlights" during the broadcasts of SGA straight up falling down after shots with minimal or no contact. And this wasn't just occasionally...it was EVERY shot. We'll see if the league decides to adjust how they ref it.
2 more of the top 3 · 9 posts in this stretch
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This is like saying "the laws allow it, the government should fix it" and you end up depending on the government to do everything instead of it being people's responsibility. Which is a step away from dictatorship
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I saw Prime Harden bringing the ball up the floor against pressure reach with his off hand, grab the defender's jersey, pull him into his body, and get thje blocking call foul LMAO. He is next level.
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What people are saying 6 voices from 1 site · best of 9 · verbatim
- Yesterday
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Is everyone gonna sit here and act like Trae is not in shai’s landing zone? He didn’t fall because of the hand you morons. Look at the foul called.
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then lands to fall Am I blind or he just jumps vertically and Trae unknowingly undercuts him?
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This is why Nico traded Luka for a bag of chips. Imagine telling someone back in 2021 that this happened
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wow I did not miss seeing that shit. almost makes me dread the upcoming season a little
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Obviously he flopped after but he literally jump stopped and shot bro 😭😭 it’s not witchcraft
- Sep 22
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“Massive” is crazy. We have physical defenders and that shit is adored until it’s your team that loses to it