Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to make history.
In the Thunder’s win over the Phoenix Suns on December 20th, Gilgeous-Alexander became the youngest player not named Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook to score 32 points in a game.
Less than ten days later, he’s done it two more times.
With his 32-point performance in Sunday’s 98-97 win over Toronto, Gilgeous-Alexander now owns the record for most points scored by a Canadian against the Raptors.
When asked it about it after the game, Gilgeous-Alexander said he wasn’t aware of the record, but said, “it’s cool though”.
SGA is Oklahoma City’s leading scorer, averaging 19.4 points per game and shooting 45.1% from the field.
Over the last five, he’s upped that average to 28.8 points a game, his latest big outing coming on a night that Oklahoma City desperately needed someone to step up in the absence of both Dennis Schroder and Danilo Gallinari.
Gilgeous-Alexander credits the recent change in his production to the game “slowing down”.
“I’m just seeing my teammates more and then that’s opening up driving lanes because the defense has to stay honest. I’m just trying to get better and continue to keep this thing going.”
Reporters aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed SGA’s recent improvement. Chris Paul, who has served as a mentor to the up and coming star said after the game that Gilgeous-Alexander “has everything.”
“He doing his own thing. I just stay in his ear all the time about being aggressive, staying aggressive. He’s got it all. Mid-range, finishes, shooting, his defense. His defensive intensity.”
Paul told ESPN that it was nice to see Gilgeous-Alexander succeed in a game that he’d “circled since training camp”. He added, “everybody here in Canada, know you all got a real one.”
