With just over eight minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s win streak was in serious doubt.
OKC trailed by 12 and its offense had been struggling to generate offense for most of the game. The same issues that had plagued the Thunder in its losses had come to roost once more — and then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander happened.
As he has whenever OKC has needed him this season, Gilgeous-Alexander fastened on his cape and carried the Thunder to the finish line. Gilgeous-Alexander launched an offensive assault that propelled the Thunder to a 36-10 run to end the third, giving OKC a lead that it never surrendered.
OKC eventually won 113-105, moving its winning streak to 12 games and downing the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the star, scoring 40 points and getting his teammates involved during his dominant third quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder recorded an offensive rating of 179.2 for those 12 minutes, marking the best offensive stretch for an OKC team that has buttered its bread on the defensive side of the basketball for most of this season.
When Gilgeous-Alexander got cooking, Minnesota’s defensive players helped off of their men to try and thwart his drives to the rim. When that naturally occurred, Gilgeous-Alexander dished it to his open teammates and for one of the first times this season, they cashed in on his gravity.
Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, Kenrich Williams and Jalen Williams all hit 3-pointers in the third frame earning OKC the lead and eventually helping it hold on when Minnesota made a late run.
Now, there was, of course, more than just one quarter played in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
In the first half, the Thunder’s typical warts revealed themselves. Missing open shots, role players not doing their jobs to a satisfactory level and Jalen Williams struggling to get to the free-throw line, which led to frustration bubbling to the surface.
However, OKC went into halftime trailing by just six points, clearing the runway for another OKC win where it wasn’t anywhere near its best for a large chunk of the game.
In the fourth, OKC survived the minutes in which Gilgeous-Alexander was on the bench and waited for its star to return. When he did, OKC’s lead ballooned back to double digits.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s heroics have him in a rare air.
His scoring and efficiency as a guard can only be matched by the immortal Michael Jordan. He may be the best of any star guard on the defensive end and the degree of difficulty that comes with his scoring repertoire is unmatched by anyone in the league.
When watching Gilgeous-Alexander on nights like Tuesday, it is hard to shower him with anything but praise, regardless of how unbiased one may try and remain.
A guard who typically does most of his scoring from the perimeter or as the shortest man in the paint scoring 40 on 65% shooting is virtually unheard of. As long as Gilgeous-Alexander continues at this historic pace, any reporter you decide to read is left with little optionality.
Those options — gush about who may be throwing his hat in the “best in the world” ring, or don’t talk about him at all.
