Canada's Gilgeous-Alexander making 50-point games a regular occurrence for West-leading Thunder

Cliff Brunt · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 04, 2025 6:33 AM EST | Last Updated: March 4

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's putback handbasket successful the 4th fourth enactment him implicit 50 points and sent the Oklahoma City assemblage into a frenzy.

The Thunder prima responded by jogging downcourt expressionless, arsenic if it were nary large deal.

That's due to the fact that it has go astir regular for the Canadian. His last interaction connected a 51-point nighttime clinched his 4th 50-point show successful his past 19 games.

"It becomes — you tin accidental it's not arsenic breathtaking arsenic the archetypal one, but it's much similar getting mislaid successful the process of conscionable competing and playing the crippled you love," Gilgeous-Alexander, of Hamilton, said. "And past wherever that takes you, it takes you."

Besides, helium was astir acrophobic with the last effect — a 137-128 triumph implicit the Houston Rockets connected Monday.

Gilgeous-Alexander became the 12th subordinate successful NBA past with astatine slightest 4 50-point games successful a season. His scoring binges person helped Oklahoma City rotation to a Western Conference-leading 50-11 record. The Thunder are 3-1 erstwhile helium scores astatine slightest 50 points.

"Whether it's 50, whether it's 27, whether it's 17 — arsenic agelong arsenic we win, I person amusive with it," helium said. "It's a amusive night."

Gilgeous-Alexander played 397 vocation games earlier reaching the 50-point mark. His archetypal clip hitting the milestone was a career-high 54-point outburst successful a triumph implicit Utah connected Jan. 22. He past scored 52 connected Jan. 29 successful a nonaccomplishment to Golden State and 50 successful a location triumph implicit Phoenix connected Feb. 5.

From the outset against the Rockets, it appeared this mightiness go a peculiar nighttime arsenic good erstwhile Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points successful the archetypal quarter. He said helium took implicit due to the fact that the squad got disconnected to a unsmooth start. Even with his scoring spree, Houston led 31-30 astatine the extremity of the period.

"I tried to beryllium a small spot much assertive erstwhile we benignant of got retired to that [slow] start there, similar benignant of assistance america a small bit," helium said. "I tried to beryllium aggressive, beryllium assertive."

He had 28 points astatine halftime and 45 going into the 4th quarter. His six points successful the last play were captious successful helping the Thunder bent on.

"I conscionable deliberation you play the crippled to win," helium said. "Like, you don't play the crippled to people a clump of points. You don't play the crippled to get a clump of rebounds oregon assists oregon steals. ... You don't play for thing too to win, and that's what it's each about."