Shai Gilgeous Alexander enters Michael Jordan’s territory after latest 40-point stellar performance
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Shai Alexandra and Michael Jordan
Shai Gilgeous Alexander has been balling this season. Riding on his back is the Oklahoma City Thunder which has been one of the most pleasant surprises of this season. Alexander has been considered one of the rising stars in this league for the past few years but 2022 has been his breakout season so far. Shai has not only found comfort in his seamless offense but has also exponentially improved his defensive side. He has turned into a different kind of defender for the team.
Past three games Alexander has been averaging 38.6 points per game. But his 42 points outburst against Washington Wizards put him in the same league as Michael Jordan, a feat that every player in the NBA dreams of having alongside Jordan. He has become the only second player after Jordan to average at least 30 points per game while having less than 3 shots attempts from beyond the arc.
Shai took his defense to another level in scrimmages this off-season. Speaking of scrimmages, his OKC teammate, Kenrich Williams said, “You could see he’s taking pride in that side of the ball. He added, “It’s carrying over to the games.” Luguentz Dort also said, “He’s started taking a lot of pride in it (defense).” Speaking of the steals that Shai has been making around the perimeter area and scoring on the fast break, Dort said, “Shai’s got great hands, he knows where to be and he’s getting way better.”
According to Cleaning The Glass, OKC’s half-court defense is currently 7th in the league, and it has improved by 3.3 points per 100 half-court plays while Gilgeous-Alexander has been on the court. The OKC is only behind three teams in forced turnovers and has allowed only 105.4 points per 100 possessions when Alexander is on the floor with Dort, which is just below the league’s best Milwaukee Bucks.
The rise of Shai Gilgeous Alexander, the new face of Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous Alexander has been insanely excellent at his offense this season. The young star and student of the game is making ripples in the league for his scoring and finishing around-the-rim caliber. Shai Alexander has been the forerunner of Most Improved Player candidates. Led by Alexander the OKC has a 7-8 record in the Western Conference ahead of teams like defending champions Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers. Shai has been alert on both ends of the floor. Speaking on his new defensive mindset, Alexander said, “I wanted to be reliable on both ends of the ball,” he added, “The best players in the NBA are reliable on both ends of the ball, for sure. And ultimately that’s what I want to be.“
Shai has been averaging 32.3 points this season and dropping almost 6 dimes. The best part of Shai’s stellar season so far has been his 54.6 field goal percentage. OKC is now treading into a new era of basketball excellence since Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. With players like Chet Thomas Holmgren, who is set to return next season and the talented young core for OKC sky is the limit.
Also Read: Ja Morant fires back at Charles Barkley after Grizzlies fall against Pelicans
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