Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s monster sport on Monday evening in opposition to the Rockets confirmed why Oklahoma Metropolis is the favourite within the Western Convention.
The 2-time first-team All-NBA expertise scored 51 factors on 18-of-30 taking pictures within the Thunder’s 137-128 residence win.
With the victory, Oklahoma Metropolis improved to 50-11, turning into the primary Western Convention workforce to 50 wins this season. Gilgeous-Alexander has appeared in 60 of the workforce’s 61 video games and leads the league with 32.6 factors per sport.
He has an NBA-high 4 50-point video games, all since Jan. 22. Per Stathead, Gilgeous-Alexander is the league’s solely participant with multiple 50-point sport this season.
The Thunder have run away with the West, and Monday’s win in opposition to the Rockets (37-24, fifth in Western Convention) confirmed why that might proceed within the playoffs.
Oklahoma Metropolis is the league’s greatest defensive workforce, rating first in defensive score and second in factors allowed per sport (106.6). With Gilgeous-Alexander able to placing the Thunder on his again, they’ve an offensive playmaker who can commerce buckets when obligatory.
Per NBA.com data, Gilgeous-Alexander averages 1.07 factors per isolation play, sixth amongst 29 gamers with a minimum of three isolation performs per sport. He is fourth in factors per possession (1.1) because the pick-and-roll ball handler.
He displayed his full repertoire in opposition to the Rockets, effortlessly hitting fadeaway jumpers, pull-up threes and drives to the basket.
One other scoring masterclass for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander!
51 PTS
His 4th 50-PT sport of the season offers the Thunder their fiftieth win of the season
pic.twitter.com/yUB0AdVgny
— NBA (@NBA) March 4, 2025
The Thunder are effectively on their method to incomes the No. 1 seed within the Western Convention playoffs for the second season in a row. After falling within the second spherical final yr, Gilgeous-Alexander ought to have Oklahoma Metropolis assured it will not repeat that mistake.
Gilgeous-Alexander appears to be like like a person on a mission. Nobody has gotten in his approach but, and that is showing much less and fewer prone to change.
