Oklahoma City Thunder secured a 123-114 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, led by a career-high 54-point performance from All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Despite the historic showing, Gilgeous-Alexander revealed postgame that he felt he could have done even more to help his team.
“I feel like I wasn’t my best tonight, regardless of what the scoreboard says,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I feel like I could have done better—offensively, with shot-making and on a couple of reads. But that comes with the game; you’re not going to be perfect all the time. I feel like I’ve had better games this season, even though it didn’t look like it on the scoresheet. That’s just me chasing growth as opposed to an outcome, and that’s where that comes from.”
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game shooting 17-of-35 from the field, including 3-of-10 from beyond the arc and an impressive 17-of-18 from the free-throw line. He also added eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks in a well-rounded effort.
MVP chants echo throughout the arena
As the game wound down, Thunder fans made their feelings known, chanting “MVP” in unison for their star player—a gesture that Gilgeous-Alexander said he doesn’t take lightly. “They do feel good every time I get them. I don’t take them for granted,” he said. “I get them a lot in this building, obviously. The fans don’t let me forget.”
While Gilgeous-Alexander’s season has been nothing short of spectacular, he finds himself in the MVP conversation alongside Nikola Jokić, who continues to put up video game-like numbers. However, Shai’s ability to dominate games and carry the Thunder remains a testament to his impact.
Reaching milestones and staying locked in
In addition to his 54-point explosion, Gilgeous-Alexander recently crossed the 10,000 career points mark during a game against the Washington Wizards. Reflecting on these accomplishments, he shared how he approaches such moments.
“While approaching 50-plus points, I was definitely in the mode of finishing this game and burying this team,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Make plays down the stretch. But, yeah, I’m aware. I know what’s going on. Obviously, the crowd wouldn’t let me forget. But it was special to do it in front of them. It’s always fun to, I guess, get career highs. It’s fun to knock things off your list and have the support of the whole city behind you.”
With performances like this, Gilgeous-Alexander continues to prove why he’s a cornerstone of the Thunder’s future and a legitimate NBA MVP contender.