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[Saba Sports News] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander etched his name into the record books with a standout performance in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dominant win on Wednesday night.
The Thunder crushed the Denver Nuggets 149-106 in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, bouncing back in emphatic fashion after narrowly dropping Game 1, 121-119. OKC jumped out to a massive halftime lead and never looked back.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 34 points in just 30 minutes, going an ultra-efficient 11-of-13 from the field and a perfect 11-of-11 at the free throw line. But it was his +/- stat that stole the spotlight — SGA finished with a jaw-dropping +51, setting a new NBA playoff record since the stat began being tracked.
The Thunder, who posted a 68-14 regular-season record and swept through the first round, were clearly determined to send a message in Game 2.
Gilgeous-Alexander delivered that message loud and clear, answering Nikola Jokic’s strong Game 1 with a dominant outing of his own. Both stars remain in the thick of the MVP race, with SGA currently seen as the frontrunner.
The series now shifts to Denver for Game 3 on Friday night.