Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to rewrite the offensive rulebook, and his latest outing only added to the growing list of milestones. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard reached his 100th consecutive 20-point game Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to accomplish the feat, per Sporting News. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points on 11-for-20 shooting, added 10 rebounds and eight assists, and helped Oklahoma City pull away for a 119-103 win at home.
The performance came just days after Gilgeous-Alexander set the league mark for most 30-point games in under 30 minutes during a single season. Oklahoma City has surged to a 26-3 record, tied with the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors for the best start in NBA history, while Gilgeous-Alexander has remained at the center of it all.
Shai’s Efficiency Means No Margin for Error
Gilgeous-Alexander has built his dominance on precision rather than chaos. He entered the Memphis game averaging 32.5 points per contest on 55.4 percent shooting, along with 6.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. Over his last three games, he has posted three straight 30-point performances while shooting better than 50 percent from the floor.
Despite his efficiency, Gilgeous-Alexander often faces criticism for his ability to draw fouls. Some fans label it foul-baiting, but the numbers point to a different reality. Defenders struggle to stay balanced against his footwork and patience, which forces them into mistakes. When opponents gamble, Gilgeous-Alexander punishes them at the rim, in the midrange, or at the free throw line.
He will look to extend his streak again in a rematch against the San Antonio Spurs, the same team that beat Oklahoma City earlier this season and eliminated the Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinal. Even with a rare blemish on their record, the Thunder have shown little sign of slowing down.
LeBron Explains Keeping SGA Off the Line
On a recent episode of Mind the Game, LeBron James and Steve Nash broke down what makes Gilgeous-Alexander so difficult to defend. James focused on one area that separates good scoring nights from unstoppable ones, The Sports Rush reports.
“You gotta keep him off the free throw line, which is hard,” James said. “He uses these angles, he knows how to manipulate the game, in a good way. He knows what to do, what not to do, he’s always looking for hands and arms and elbows if you’re in his space.”
James emphasized that this style reflects the modern NBA. “That’s just our game right now, you gotta respect it,” he said.
James compared Gilgeous-Alexander’s approach to James Harden during his peak years in Houston. The math, according to James, becomes overwhelming when fouls enter the equation. Gilgeous-Alexander already converts 11 or 12 field goals per night at a high rate. Add a dozen free throws on top of that, and a manageable scoring total quickly balloons.
James admitted the solution sounds simple but proves nearly impossible in practice. Discipline, he said, remains the only real answer. Defenders want to stop Gilgeous-Alexander so badly that they often overreach, and that plays directly into his hands.
As James put it, even the best defense struggles against an offense operating at this level. Right now, Gilgeous-Alexander has found a balance that leaves very few answers.
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