Hollywood Star Ben Stiller Publicly Takes Shots at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Getting Favorable Referee Calls

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the OKC to a close win against the Knicks.

Hollywood Star Ben Stiller Publicly Takes Shots at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Getting Favorable Referee Calls

Ben Stiller on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 103-100 victory over the New York Knicks, extending their winning streak to four games.
  • Ben Stiller criticized SGA's favorable referee calls on social media, referring to it as "the SGA whistle."
  • Knicks' head coach Mike Brown expressed concern over SGA's ability to draw fouls, stating he convinces referees better than anyone in the league.

Reigning NBA Champion and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has not missed a beat since his return from injury. He has continued from where he left off prior to the abdominal strain. SGA led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a closely fought 103-100 victory over the New York Knicks in their first meeting of the 2025-26 campaign at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

The win extended the defending champions’ winning streak to four games. They sit at the top of the Western Conference standings with a 49-15 record and are 3.5 games ahead of second-place, the San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, the loss dropped the Knicks’ record to 40-23 as they find themselves at third place in the Eastern Conference standings.

After a historic 2024-25 campaign where he won the championship, Finals MVP, regular-season MVP, and the scoring title, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on course to win it all once again.

Over the last three seasons, SGA has averaged 30+ points per game and is on track to make it four in a row this season. He is second in the league in scoring and is currently averaging 31.7 points per game. Many pundits and analysts believe his scoring numbers and efficiency put him in the same tier as Michael Jordan. He was coined as the ‘Michael Jordan of modern NBA‘ by former Boston Celtics legend, Paul Pierce.

While there is no doubt that the OKC are the best team in the league at the moment, they have been accused of having foul calls go in their favor more often than not. SGA is one of the few top scorers in the league that does not rely much on the three-point shot. He relies more on the mid-range often draws free throws. His style of play has drawn criticism from fans and opposing players as well as coaches.

American actor Ben Stiller is an avid fan of the New York Knicks. He is often seen courtside at Madison Square Garden and was seen supporting his team during the Knicks’ playoff run last year.

When the Knicks took on the Thunder on Wednesday, Stiller took to social media and took shots at SGA. He posted:

The SGA whistle is a thing.

SGA made seven of his seven free throws against the Knicks. He is second in the league in free throw attempts this season with 9.2 per game and is behind only Luka Doncic, who leads the NBA in scoring.

Mike Brown calls out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s foul-baiting antics

While all five of the Knicks’ starters recorded double-digit points, no one crossed the 20-point mark. Chet Holmgren led the scorers with a game-high 28 points, while SGA ended his night on 26 points and eight assists. He led the match in free-throw attempts.

Knicks’ head coach Mike Brown did not seem impressed with SGA’s style of play in his post-match press conference.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander
Shai Gilgeous Alexander (Imagn)

SGA, he’s a tough cover. He does a great job of convincing the referees probably better than anybody in the league that he’s getting hit.

The lack of consistency in foul calling has been a concern in the NBA for a while now. This is not the first time SGA has been called out for selling fouls, and it certainly will not be the last.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander praises the New York Knicks

The Knicks are one of the favorites to come out of a wide-open Eastern Conference this season. While they did suffer a drop in form at the beginning of 2026, they have rebounded since and have lost just five out of their last 20 games.

SGA heaped praise on the Knicks and called them a “balanced team” in his post-match press conference.

Good team. Obviously, a good offense, then they have really good defenders up there as well, so they’re well-balanced. They’re obviously top of the East for a reason. They’re a good team, playoff team. Really good roster.

After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Indiana Pacers last season, the Knicks will be hoping to go one better and will fancy their chances of going all the way this year.

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