Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on an absolute clinic on Monday night in Oklahoma City’s 117-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The first-year Thunder guard notched his first career triple-double, scoring 20 points, grabbing 20 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s big outing overshadowed a season-best 33 point outing for Danilo Gallinari, who made 8 of his 12 shots from the field and 11-of-12 free throws.
The Thunder had five other players in double-figures. Terrance Ferguson and Dennis Schroder both scored 14, Steven Adams had 13, Mike Muscala chipped in 11, and Chris Paul added 10 to round out the scoring attack.
As a team, Oklahoma City shot 50.0% from the field and 40.0% beyond the arc.
But the night belonged to Gilgeous-Alexander.
Per the Thunder, he’s just the fourth second-year player in NBA history to register a 20/20 triple-double, joining Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Oscar Robertson.
He’s also the youngest player in NBA history with a 20-rebound triple-double, according to Elias Sports Bureau, surpassing Shaquille O’Neal.
During his postgame interview, Gilgeous-Alexander was interrupted by Dennis Schroder (because when doesn’t Schroder interrupt a postgame interview?) saying, “20, 20, and 10? That’s so tough bro!”
He told Thunder reporter Nick Gallo that Billy Donovan had challenged him before the game because “he knows what I’m capable of” and Gilgeous-Alexander said he just wanted to step up to the challenge.
He did, and then some.
