NBA Makes Historic Shai-Gilgeous Alexander Announcement on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 1:52 AM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder not only beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to take a 3-2 series lead, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also made history in the process.

While it's Jalen Williams who led the Thunder in scoring with 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting, SGA impressed as well with his double-double performance. The Canadian guard finished with 31 points and 10 assists, while also stepping up defensively with two steals and four blocks.

The Pacers erased the 18-point lead that the Thunder had early in the game and cut it to just two early in the fourth quarter; however, they simply had no answer for Williams and SGA. The backcourt duo combined for 20 of Oklahoma City's 33 points in the final quarter to pull away again from Indiana and win, 120-109.

With his performance, Gilgeous-Alexander became just the fourth player—after Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon—to have at least 15 30-point games in a single playoff run.

According to the NBA's announcement, Bryant was the last to do it in 2009, while Olajuwon achieved it in 1995. Jordan, for his part, did it in 1992.

"More history for SGA," the NBA wrote on social media. "Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history with 15 or more 30+ point games in a single postseason!"

More history for SGA

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history with 15 or more 30+ point games in a single postseason! pic.twitter.com/x62BPS6pve
— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2025

Including Monday's game, Gilgeous-Alexander has now played 21 playoff games this 2025. That means he's putting up 30 or more points per game 71% of the time.

In their first-round sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies, the 2024-25 NBA MVP had two 30-point games. In their seven-game clash with the Denver Nuggets in the second round, he tallied five 30-point performances.

SGA reached the scoring mark four times in the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves and four times so far in the NBA Finals.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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