Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a career-high 54 points, the most ever scored in a single NBA game by a Canadian, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 123-114 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
The Hamilton native shot 17 of 35 from the field and 17 of 18 from the free-throw line, surpassing his previous career best of 45 points. Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, added eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals in the historic performance.
Now leading the NBA with 32 points per game, Gilgeous-Alexander is widely regarded as an MVP contender and a key reason the Thunder (36-7) are tied for the league’s best record alongside Cleveland.
The six-foot-six point guard scored 23 points in the first half, helping the Thunder edge the Jazz 57-55 at the break. He poured in another 18 points during the third quarter, pushing Oklahoma City to a 95-89 lead heading into the fourth.
After returning from a brief rest, Gilgeous-Alexander hit a clutch three-pointer to give the Thunder a 115-106 advantage late in the game and sealed his career night with a pull-up jumper over Lauri Markkanen to reach 50 points with 1:28 remaining.
Jalen Williams contributed 25 points for Oklahoma City, while John Collins (22 points, 12 rebounds), Collin Sexton (18 points, nine assists), and Walker Kessler (17 points, 15 rebounds) led the effort for Utah, which suffered its fourth consecutive loss.
Source: Swifteradio.com
