Shai Gilgeous Alexander is slowly becoming one of the best players in today’s NBA. His drives are absolutely insane and defenders find it extremely difficult to guard him. Shai has nice handles and can easily penetrate the defense and score. He is also a prolific mid-range shooter.
Shai may look small but is 6 feet 6 inches tall and possesses great physical strength. Shai and Stephen Curry faced each other in a match this Saturday night making the game super interesting. Steph made a comeback after his injury but Shai was the one who stole the show.
Stephen Curry returns to Warriors lineup
The Golden State Warriors lost 130-123 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in overtime on Saturday despite Stephen Curry making a comeback to the starting lineup. Curry played in his first game after suffering a hard fall on Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring 25 points on 8 of 21 shots and 5 of 11 from beyond the arc. Andrew Wiggins’ three-pointer gave the Warriors a three-point lead with three seconds remaining.
However, Chet Holmgren tied the score with a three of his own, forcing overtime, in which Oklahoma City outscored Golden State 13–6. With five of those losses occurring at home, Golden State has now dropped six straight games. Guard Gary Payton II’s strained left foot muscle prevented him from playing on Saturday.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander’s performance vs Warriors
Shai Gilgeous Alexander stole the show, finishing with 40 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in the match against the Warriors. Gilgeous-Alexander became the first player in Thunder history to record at least 40 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in a single game while shooting at least 60% from the field.
Only Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have crossed that threshold, even if the criteria were narrowed down to just include blocks rather than steals. Though Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance is undoubtedly not the best the franchise has ever seen, this combination of volume and efficiency is unmatched in a Thunder uniform.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the first player to post the stat line he had in a single game since Nikola Jokic, putting this performance in perspective. The last person to do so was Jokic during the previous season. Gilgeous-Alexander was exceptional in this one, solidifying his status as one of the league’s top players.
What are your thoughts on Shai’s performance vs the Golden State Warriors? Feel free to share with us in the comments below.
