‣ Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has achieved 40 30-point games on at least 60% true shooting this season, ranking him second among guards in a single season in NBA history, just behind James Harden’s 41 such games in the 2018-19 season.
‣ Gilgeous-Alexander is on pace to finish the season with averages of at least 31 points, six assists, and two steals per game on 50% shooting from the field, a feat only previously achieved by Michael Jordan.
‣ In a recent victory against the Utah Jazz, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, contributing to his status as the 13th player in NBA history to register at least 50 30-point games in a season, and the first to do so since James Harden in 2018-19.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander last night:
✅ 31 PTS
✅ 7 AST
✅ 4 STLHe's the 13th different player in NBA history to produce at least 50 30-point games in a season, and the first to do so since James Harden in 2018-19.
Read more in today's free game notes:
— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko)
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the shining star of Oklahoma City Thunder, has been setting the court on fire this season. With 40 games scoring over 30 points and a shooting accuracy of 60%, he’s second only to James Harden’s record. Remember Harden? In the 2018-19 season with the Rockets, he scored 41 of those games. And let’s not forget Stephen Curry’s 36 in 2015-16 with the Warriors.
Now, if you’ve been peeking at NBA betting sites, you’ll see Gilgeous-Alexander’s name right up there. Only Nikola Jokic is ahead of him in the MVP odds race. And yeah, Luka Doncic is still in the mix with some pretty decent odds too.
Oh, and about last night? Gilgeous-Alexander nailed it with 31 points, 7 assists, and 4 steals. He’s now one of the 13 players in NBA history to hit at least 50 30-point games in a season. The last guy to do that? James Harden, back in 2018-19. You can catch more of this juicy stat in today’s free game notes.
In their latest game against the Utah Jazz, OKC clinched a 119-107 victory. Gilgeous-Alexander was a major player, scoring 31 points in just 33 minutes. He’s not just scoring; he’s making history as the 13th player to achieve such a feat in a season. And guess what? He’s the first since Harden to do it.
Now, here’s a kicker. Gilgeous-Alexander is on track to join Michael Jordan in an elite NBA record. We’re talking about averaging at least 31 points, six assists, and two steals per game with a 50% field goal rate. Jordan, the legend himself, set this bar high in the ’88-’89 and ’89-’90 seasons.
Jordan’s prowess on the court was unmatched, averaging over 32 points, 8 assists, and nearly 3 steals in those seasons. And who could forget his 37.1 points per game in the ’86-’87 season? A career-high that still dazzles fans.
Gilgeous-Alexander is also eyeing another milestone. He aims to be the first to average at least 30 points and 2.4 steals since Allen Iverson in 2004-05. Currently, he’s at 30.9 points and 2.1 steals per game.
In their win over Utah, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points in the second half alone. OKC now boasts the best record in the Western Conference. They’re slightly ahead of the Denver Nuggets. And let’s not overlook Chet Holmgren’s performance, scoring 35 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
Thunder’s coach, Mark Daigneault, gave credit to Utah for their competitive spirit. He noted that Utah turned up the physicality after the first six minutes, challenging OKC to step up their game.
