Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is extremely good at basketball, and he showed that against the New York Knicks. The 2023-24 MVP contender posted 39 points on 15-21 shooting and made all eight free throws. The crucial element: This was in 29 minutes and only through three quarters.
The Thunder won 126-101 and picked up their 31st win of the season inside of Madison Square Garden. Dominance has been the name of the game this season for them. After a brutal loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, they quickly turned it around. The 25-point victory was their largest margin since playing the Toronto Raptors in December.
No matter what, Gilgeous-Alexander is building another MVP case. Even without Chet Holmgren, he's been the de facto option on offense. While Jalen Williams has increased his role, it's Gilgeous-Alexander's show when the game is close. The Thunder have leaned on that, and the results have been plentiful. Friday's win against the Knicks is just a sample of that dominance.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander embodied the Thunder vs Knicks
Much of the mantra for the Thunder is playing together, and playing unselfish ball. Not to mention, they emphasize team defense. As a result, the Knicks shot 39% from the field and 13% from three. However, Oklahoma City had an opposite day on the offensive end.
They shot 54% from the field and 52% from three. Plus, Gilgeous-Alexander was the only starter that scored 20+ points on the night. He's the embodiment of the franchise. Furthermore, Gilgeous-Alexander dropped an eye-opening take about his future with the Thunder.
It seems that vibes are up in Oklahoma City. The first-place team has been the clear front-runner in the Western Conference. While the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets are catching up, the Thunder bring consistent dominance on both sides. The second-best defense in the league has that defense turn into offense.
The star power is extremely evident with Gilgeous-Alexander. It's another case of a star player taking over a game by himself. It was that way for quite a while. When the Thunder had a 15-game winning streak, Gilgeous-Alexander was a major proponent of that success.
Losing is not in Oklahoma City's formula, as was evidenced by that 15-game winning streak. Following their win against the Knicks, they could use that to start another winning streak. Although it's uncertain if a winning streak will be that long, their winning ways won't go away anytime soon.
As for Gilgeous-Alexander, he'll continue dominating and being the focal point for the Thunder.
