Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Continues Legendary Run

It was the epitome of a November game in Charlotte on Saturday night. The 12-1 Oklahoma City Thunder lacked their typical intensity, shot making, ball security and juice. Still, despite shooting 41% on 10 made triples, the Hornets could only swell a six point lead on the Bricktown Ballers in the first half despite the Thunder's 10 giveaways before intermission.

"We had a nice response out of halftime. We didn't play our best game in the first half, and we course corrected nicely and made some adjustments to what we were doing, and it was helpful in the third," Head Coach Mark Daigneault said following this contest.

In the second half, the Thunder ran away with this game, ending up with a 109-96 win over the Hornets, thanks to a third quarter that Oklahoma City won 32-18.

That third frame was sparked almost entirely by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the offensive end. The superstar guard posted 15 points on one missed shot (85% shooting from the floor), to go along with a rebound and assist. His final tally ended with 33 points, four rebounds, seven assists, two steals and 68% shooting from the floor, 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and 4-for-5 at the charity stripe in just 30 minutes of action.

For the seventh time this season, Gilgeous-Alexander logged 30 points in under 30 minutes, he once ahead spent the entire final frame on the pine as the Thunder protected their 22 point lead in the fourth quarter to earn their 13th win of the year. That ties last year's mark, only in 14 games so far this season.

Oklahoma City survived an upset bid by Charlotte in a game that saw 11 lead changes and 12 ties thanks to their superstar who has continued his legendary run.

A year ago, Gilgeous-Alexander won the scoring title, his first NBA championship and swept the MVP honors winning the NBA MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP while averaging 32 points, five rebounds, six assists and 2.7 stocks per game with shooting splits of 51/37/89 in 76 games.

This season, the face of the franchise is posting 32 points, five rebounds, six assists and 2.3 stocks per game while shooting 52% from the floor, 35% from beyond the arc and 90% at the charity stripe through the first 13 games before even folding in this 33 point night against Charlotte into those averages.

It has become normal to see Gilgeous-Alexander sitting in his warm ups with a towel on and a smile blastered across his face for the entire fourth quarter after a 30 point outing, but it isn't. This is a special run that the Thunder superstar is on and you can not take this for granted. In real time, you are watching an All-Time great player cement his historic legacy and doing it in Oklahoma City.