Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Passing Has Elevated His Play This Season
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an MVP candidate, and not just because of his scoring.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s star guard has gone from Most Improved Player discussions last season to being lumped with the best players in the NBA. Of course, that has to do with his elite scoring ability.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.7 points per game this season, shooting career-high percentages from the field and the free throw line. Along with that, he is leading the league in steals at 2.7 per game.
In the Thunder’s 118-117 win in Denver on Saturday, the sixth-year player had his early-season MVP moment, knocking down a mid-range jumper in the final second to steal a win. While all that has earned Gilgeous-Alexander loads of attention, his playmaking has gone under the radar.
The all-star has become a better passer this season, and the numbers back that up. Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged a career-high 6.4 assists this season and recorded a couple of 10-assist games after having only 10 in his career coming into the season.
With eight assists in Denver, the guard had his third straight game with at least seven dimes. Although his teammates have to make shots for him to get assists, the Kentucky product has been giving his teammates those opportunities at one of the best rates of his career.
Gilgeous-Alexander creates 13 potential assists per game and accounts for 17.6 points off of his assists. While his raw assist numbers do not put him near the top of any leaderboards, his 13 potential assists per game are in the top 10 in the league.
The 6-foot-6 guard’s craftiness has helped him develop into an elite scorer, but this season, more than ever, he is using that to find open teammates. Although he has had seasons with similar potential assist averages in the past, this is the most talent he has played with in his career.
That is best shown by his No. 1 target, Chet Holmgren. The rookie big man accounts for more of the superstar’s assists than anyone else and receives the most passes from him each game.
As that connection continues to blossom, those assist numbers may continue to rise. While Gilgeous-Alexander has always been a good and willing passer, his insistence on finding the right guys this season has elevated his game once again.
Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder 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.
