Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Sets Playoff Record During Win in Second Game Against Denver Nuggets
It was a close loss in Game 1 for OKC. The Denver Nuggets stunned the conference leaders at Paycom Center after a seven-game series against the Clippers. Mark Daigneault needed a strong response, and the side delivered to level the series a game piece. Leading the team was as expected: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With a game-high 34 points in just 30 minutes, SGA has set an impressive playoff record.
Fans following the game with in-depth analysis will understand the importance of the +- stat. The metric used to measure the point differential between your team and the opponent when a specific player is on the court. The highest recorded +- during playoff games was 46, set by LeBron James, Desmond Bane, and Jimmy Butler. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surpassed the number with a massive +- 51 performance against the Nuggets.
Playing in three quarters, leaving the game in OKC’s hands, SGA was lethal from the field. He banked 11 off 13 FG attempts and was flawless from the free-throw line, netting all 11 attempts. Behind SGA’s offensive game and strong team-defensive performance, the home side took a 31-point lead at halftime only. During the first half hammering, Thunder set the NBA record for most points in a half in playoff history with 87.
Also Read: Boston Celtics Set Two Contrasting 3-Point Records in One Night During Overtime Loss to Knicks.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs Nikola Jokic Match Up Getting Interesting
The series started with a heavy discussion about a battle between two top contenders for the MVP award. Shai was leading the ladder during the final phase while Nikola Jokic, with another historic season, was there from the start. Jokic was effective in game 1 with 42 points and 22 rebounds, while SGA was decisive with 34 points in three quarters in game 2.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did his best with 33 points and 10 rebounds in the opening game of the series, but Aaron Gordon’s game-winner decided the close game. In the second game, though, OKC didn’t give the Nuggets any chance with a 43-point hammering. Jokic was fouled out with just 17 points in 32 minutes. Game 3 will be important for both sides and will be played on May 9 at Ball Arena.
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