Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Efficiency Should Not Be Taken For Granted

Somehow, Oklahoma City’s superstar has found a way to get better every single season. Dating back to his rookie year with the Clippers — his only season not with the Thunder — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has improved. Of course, Oklahoma City has been the big beneficiary.

This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is a strong candidate to win his second MVP in a row, and for the third straight season he has Oklahoma City well positioned to lock down the best record in the Western Conference. The Thunder have a chance to win a second straight NBA championship, and Gilgeous-Alexander is obviously a big reason why.

As Oklahoma City has risen to the top, Gilgeous-Alexander has improved in many different areas. From the defensive end, to getting to the free throw line, to creating for his teammates, SGA’s growth has helped this Thunder team grow. He has always been an efficient scorer in every aspect, but this season, he has taken it to an entirely different level. It’s important to not take this level of efficiency for granted, because he’s making the incredible seem relatively normal and expected.

Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off of a performance that happens to be the pinnacle of his efficiency. Against Milwaukee, he poured in 40 points and 11 assists on 16-of-19 from the floor, 2-of-2 from 3-point range, and 6-of-7 from the free throw line. He committed just two turnovers.

This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting a career-high by a wide margin at 55.5% from the floor. Considering he’s a high-volume, offensive engine the number is truly staggering. He’s taking 19.7 shots per game and converting on 10.9 of them. His commitment to improving his outside jumper is a big reason why that number has skyrocketed. Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting 39.9% from 3-point range and he’s taking 4.8 triples per game. He’s dangerously close to the 50-40-90 mark, shooting 89.1% from the free throw line.

The Thunder star is shooting 60.6% from inside the 3-point line, a mark that’s simply unheard of for a superstar guard. He also has the highest true shooting percentage of any player to average over 30 points per game at 66.7.

Another key aspect to efficiency is taking care of the ball. This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 6.3 assists per game while only turning the ball over 2.0 times. That number is the lowest amount of turnovers he has averaged since the 2019 season — and his volume is as high as ever.

His season has been nothing short of spectacular, but he's making it look normal. It's important to understand it for what it is, though. His efficiency is reaching heights we've never seen from a high volume guard.