Shai Gilgeous-Alexander passes Westbrook with huge OKC playoff feat, trails only Durant

According to ESPN, Gilgeous-Alexander now has 27 career 30-point playoff games for Oklahoma City, moving him into second place in franchise history.

That pushed him past Russell Westbrook, and left only Kevin Durant ahead with 39 such games for the franchise.

The achievement matters because Westbrook remains one of OKC’s defining icons, carrying the team after Durant’s departure and winning MVP in Thunder colours.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring was not just historic. It was necessary, with the Spurs threatening late before OKC finished the job and levelled the series.

Stephon Castle is still making SGA work hard

The milestone does not mean the series has been easy. Stephon Castle has given Gilgeous-Alexander one of the toughest defensive matchups of this playoff run.

ESPN reports that, with Castle as his primary defender, Gilgeous-Alexander is 10-for-19 from the field for 24 points through the series so far.

Those numbers are efficient, but they show how much attention San Antonio is placing on every possession he controls.

That makes Game 2 even more important. The Canadian guard passed Westbrook while solving a defender built to slow him down.