Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a historic performance on Monday night, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to their 50th win of the season with a commanding victory over the Houston Rockets. The game concluded with a 137-128 triumph, marking a significant achievement for both Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder. The star guard recorded 51 points, reaching an impressive milestone that had eluded him throughout his career until this remarkable season.
Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring prowess was on full display as he logged his 17th career game with at least 20 points in the paint and 10 made free throws. This achievement is the most by any guard since the 1997-98 season, surpassing LeBron James for the seventh most by any player over that span. His exceptional performance saw him reach 50 points for the fourth time this season, all within the past seven weeks, setting an NBA record for the shortest span to accomplish such a feat.
The Thunder's victory against the Rockets not only secured their 50th win of the season but also cemented their position as leaders of the Western Conference with a formidable 50-11 record. Gilgeous-Alexander reached the 50-point mark on a crucial putback with just under three minutes left in the game, extending Oklahoma City's lead to 132-120 and solidifying their victory.
"It becomes — you can say it's not as exciting as the first one, but it's more like getting lost in the process of just competing and playing the game you love," said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
"And then wherever that takes you, it takes you," he added.
The Thunder's success this season has been unprecedented, becoming the fastest in franchise history to reach the 50-win mark in just 61 games. Gilgeous-Alexander's contribution has been pivotal, with Oklahoma City holding a 3-1 record when he scores at least 50 points. His scoring streak began with a career-high 54-point performance in a victory over Utah on January 22, setting the tone for an extraordinary run.
"Whether it's 50, whether it's 27, whether it's 17 — as long as we win, I have fun with it," Gilgeous-Alexander stated.
The guard's determination was evident as he pushed himself to elevate his team's performance after a slow start.
"I tried to be a little bit more aggressive once we kind of got out to that [slow] start there, like kind of lift us a little bit," he explained.
"I just think you play the game to win," he emphasized.
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