Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Drops 51 Points in Thunder’s Win Over Rockets
The Oklahoma City Thunder saw a superstar performance at the Paycom Center on Monday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander exploded for 51 points in a 137-128 win over the Houston Rockets, leaving fans and teammates in awe.
Chet Holmgren Reacts to SGA’s Big Night
Chet Holmgren, who has witnessed Gilgeous-Alexander’s dominance before, had a cool but appreciative reaction. Speaking with FanDuel, the Thunder big man said:
“You look up and see in the third quarter, he’s got 40 points already. You’re not even surprised — but you’re kind of ‘wow’ about it. No glaze, but he’s tough.”
This wasn’t even SGA’s biggest moment of the season. It marked his fourth 50-point game this year. Just recently, his teammate Jalen Williams had a career-high 41-point game while SGA “only” put up 31 points.
SGA Strengthens MVP Case
At 26 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander is making a strong case for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. He is averaging 32.3 points per game and leads all players in scoring this season. Before his 51-point explosion, he had already put up back-to-back 31-point games.
The Thunder are also one of only two teams to reach 50 wins this season, alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers (50-11). Monday’s victory helped OKC strengthen its hold on the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, now sitting 12 games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Incredible Efficiency
SGA’s 51-point night wasn’t just about scoring—it was about efficiency. He shot 60% from the field, hit five of his nine three-point attempts (55.6%), and made all 10 of his free throws. He accomplished all this in just 36 minutes, his longest time on the court since an overtime game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 24.
Will SGA Win MVP?
According to ESPN betting odds, Gilgeous-Alexander is now the favorite to win the MVP award. If he does, he will become the third Thunder player in history to win it, following Kevin Durant (2014) and Russell Westbrook (2017).
