Northwest Division Roundup: Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP Case, Hartenstein’s Fit, Pullin’s G League Honor, Injury Updates for Gordon and Johnson
northwest-division-roundup-sga-mvp-hartenstein-pullin-gordon-johnson
Oklahoma City, OK — Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains squarely in the race for a second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award, sharing the spotlight with the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić, the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and the Lakers’ league-leading scorer Luka Dončić. Gilgeous-Alexander ranks second in scoring at 31.6 points per game and is posting a career-best 6.5 assists, but he declined to make a direct pitch for the honor.
“No, I’m good. Thanks for asking, though,” he said when approached about his candidacy. “I let my game do the talking.” Still, he acknowledged the conversation benefits the league: “I think it’s good for the league. It gives people something to talk about. There’s a lot of good players in this league and a lot of guys in the conversation because of that.”
Hartenstein Thriving in Oklahoma City
Center Isaiah Hartenstein’s decision to leave the Knicks in 2024 free agency has paid off. The 26-year-old signed a three-year, $87 million contract with Oklahoma City and has emerged as the club’s defensive anchor while shouldering a larger playmaking role.
“I think [the playmaking] has always been there,” Hartenstein said. “Before I got to the Knicks, it was one of the main things I was doing with the Clippers. … I’m just here to help the team whatever way I can.” He is averaging 9.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 24.8 minutes.
Pullin Named G League Player of the Week
Timberwolves two-way guard Zyon Pullin earned NBA G League Player of the Week honors for games played March 23-28. The undrafted 25-year-old averaged 37.5 points and 5.5 assists while hitting 75 percent of his three-point attempts in two contests. Pullin has appeared in two NBA games for Minnesota this season.
Nuggets Receive Positive Injury News
Denver forward Aaron Gordon returned to practice Tuesday after missing Sunday’s victory over Golden State with a calf strain, head coach David Adelman said ahead of Wednesday’s matchup in Utah. “AG looked good today. His comfort level seemed like it was in a good place with the calf. I’m hoping he’ll play,” Adelman noted.
Forward Cameron Johnson, who exited Sunday’s game with back spasms, also practiced. “They just kind of popped up on me, maybe after a little bit of contact or something,” Johnson said. “I’m fine now, though. It goes away.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
