Second in votes for the 2024 MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appears today as the only one capable of preventing Nikola Jokic from signing a new double. The Serb from Denver is having an exceptional season, but so is the Thunder guard, and last night, he made another strong impression with 35 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in the big victory against the Grizzlies, 2nd in the Western Conference. Very skillful (14 out of 19 on shots), he scored his 3rd match in a row with 35 points or more, and he even allowed himself to add 4 blocks! Under his leadership, OKC got off to the best start in its history with 26 wins and 5 losses.
Only the scenario of the match, with a lead of 25 points at the break, prevented him from reaching the 40 point mark, or even his career record, blocked at 45 points. But Mark Daigneault knows very well that there is no point in giving unnecessary minutes, and he only left him on the field for 28 minutes.
SGA feeds off the energy of the bench
“It was the third match in four days… But you saw this energy in him, and the others” underlines the Thunder coach. “Defensively, they are difficult to contain. They have a way of playing that is really difficult to counter. And this evening, I think we did it with great individual will on the ball and intense activity. There really is no shortcut. You have to be able to defend relentlessly against their attacks from the rim, their shots, and they put a lot of pressure on you for 48 minutes. Our players took on this challenge tonight with great focus and energy, starting with Shai. »
This energy can be found in the four blocks, but also this lost ball from Jack LaRavia that he provokes, before turning to his bench to share his rage…
“These guys are really invested in the game, they bring a lot of energy, and that helps me a lot” he answers about this sequence. “Sometimes, when you're tired on the field, the energy of your teammates, that of the public, the energy in general, almost helps you forget the fatigue and continue playing despite everything. And that's how I use it. They really do a great job supporting us on the ground. You know, I think about Dillon and Jay Will… They didn't play much tonight, but they're great teammates. And I lean on them, that's for sure. »
And it is for this reason, and because the Thunder players are one, that they are glued to their leader after each post-match interview.
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2018-19 | LAKE | 82 | 27 | 47.6 | 36.7 | 80.0 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 10.8 |
| 2019-20 | OKC | 70 | 35 | 47.1 | 34.7 | 80.7 | 0.7 | 5.2 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 19.0 |
| 2020-21 | OKC | 35 | 34 | 50.8 | 41.8 | 80.8 | 0.5 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 23.7 |
| 2021-22 | OKC | 56 | 35 | 45.3 | 30.0 | 81.0 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 24.5 |
| 2022-23 | OKC | 68 | 36 | 51.0 | 34.5 | 90.5 | 0.9 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 31.4 |
| 2023-24 | OKC | 75 | 34 | 53.5 | 35.3 | 87.4 | 0.9 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 30.1 |
| 2024-25 | OKC | 30 | 35 | 51.7 | 34.8 | 87.9 | 0.9 | 4.7 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 30.8 |
| Total | 416 | 33 | 49.8 | 34.8 | 85.4 | 0.7 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 23.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
