finalist<\/a> to win a second straight MVP trophy \u2014 and because he\u2019s a finalist there, he\u2019s also a lock to make the All-NBA team for a fourth straight year.<\/p>\n\u201cThis award means a lot,\u201d Gilgeous-Alexander said on NBC Sports, which aired the award announcement. \u201cTo get this award, you have to help your team win games late and what I\u2019m about more than anything is winning games.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilgeous-Alexander topped Minnesota\u2019s Anthony Edwards and Denver\u2019s Jamal Murray to win the clutch award.<\/p>\n
Edwards didn\u2019t reach the 65-game eligibility standard for most league awards like MVP and the All-NBA team \u2014 and unsuccessfully appealed for a waiver that would have put him on those ballots \u2014 but his candidacy for the clutch award wasn\u2019t affected by that rule.<\/p>\n
Instead, the finalists for the clutch award were decided by a survey of the league\u2019s coaches. That whittled the group down to 14 names, which were then placed onto the ballot that a panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the league filled out last week to decide the various awards.<\/p>\n
Voting Results<\/p>\n
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Gilgeous-Alexander has been a contender for the clutch award since it was added to the league\u2019s slate of trophies; he was third last season, eighth in 2024 and seventh in 2023.<\/p>\n
And now, it\u2019s his.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud I get to hoist it,\u201d Gilgeous-Alexander said. \u201cIt means I\u2019m effective out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilgeous-Alexander becomes the fourth player to win the clutch award, which was added in tribute to Jerry West \u2014 the inspiration for the NBA\u2019s logo and the player long known as \u201cMr. Clutch\u201d as a nod to his exploits when the outcome of games was on the line.<\/p>\n
De\u2019Aaron Fox (then of Sacramento, now of San Antonio) was the first clutch award recipient in 2023, followed by Golden State\u2019s Stephen Curry in 2024 and New York\u2019s Jalen Brunson last season. Brunson was a nominee again this year.<\/p>\n
For a play to be considered clutch, by the NBA\u2019s definition, these are the criteria: The score differential has to be five points or less, and the game has to be in either the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime.<\/p>\n
All three of the leading vote-getters had compelling statistical arguments for the award:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Gilgeous-Alexander led the league with 175 points in clutch times, plus was ninth with 21 assists in those situations. The Thunder went 20-7 in the 27 clutch games in which he played, and outscored opponents by 93 points in those clutch situations with him on the floor.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Edwards shot 56.5% from the field in clutch moments, the best of any of the league\u2019s 19 players that had at least 85 clutch-time points this season.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Murray was second in clutch points with 166 plus led the league with 30 clutch-time assists.<\/p>\n
The clutch award was the second to be handed out this season.\u00a0San Antonio\u2019s Victor Wembanyama\u00a0was the unanimous winner of Defensive Player of the Year, which was announced Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just very meaningful to me,\u201d Wembanyama said Tuesday about being the first unanimous winner of the DPOY trophy. \u201cIt means that there\u2019s no place for debate. It means that everybody agrees upon something.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the Sixth Man of the Year winner \u2014 either the Spurs\u2019 Keldon Johnson, the Nuggets\u2019 Tim Hardaway Jr. or Miami\u2019s Jaime Jaquez Jr. \u2014 will be revealed. The league\u2019s Sportsmanship Award winner will be announced Thursday, followed by Most Improved Player on Friday.<\/p>\n
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