OKC Thunder Superstar Has Evolved Against Double Teams

Double teams, box and one, loading up in the paint - there are plenty of ways to try to stop Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
None of these coverages work. The Thunder star is a walking 30 point night and one of the best scorers in the NBA with elite efficiency to boot.
This wasn't always the case though. Gilgeous-Alexander evolving passing ability and speed have led him to this point.
“He’s improved continuously over time. I think the thing that’s been a quiet development for him is how much gas he’s played with and how quickly he’s playing on the catch… They’re trying to send 2 to him and he’s beating it before it even came to him," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
Gilgeous-Alexander is getting off the ball early when the defense bends to try to take him away, skip passing to the open man in the corner, darting the ball inside as the rim protector climbs the paint or hitting the connective playmaker flanking him to generate great looks for his teammates.
The increase tempo that the superstar is playing with is also helping the Thunder star take advantage of the befuddled defense as they attempt to send help, he has already blown pasat the defense before they even gain positioning knifing his way to the cup.
All of this was on display against the Brooklyn Nets in a lopsided win for Oklahoma City that saw Gilgeous-Alexander resting the entire fourth quarter - marking ten final frames that the superstar hasn't logged as single minute in.
As a pick-and-roll ball handler, the Thunder superstar is in the 84th percentile in the league with that mark climbing to the 92nd percentile in isolation attempts posting 1.109 points per possession in those settings. When defenses commit to Gilgeous-Alexander those numbers stay steady with 1.020 points per possesion in isloation and 0.972 points per possessions in those two situations as the defense commits to try to take away the superstar.
His game has evolved every year of his career and this one is no different. Gilgeous-Alexander is en route to his first MVP award and has the Thunder as the no. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the second straight season.
Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.