SGA3K: Gilgeous-Alexander reaches 3,000 points for season, 12th player to do so in NBA history
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The milestones keep coming for Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
With his first basket of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, Gilgeous-Alexander — the NBA's reigning MVP — reached the 3,000-point mark for the season, including playoffs.
The milestone came on a 10-footer with 8:24 left in the opening quarter.
He needed only two points to get there Sunday, after scoring 38 in Oklahoma City's Game 1 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.
This is the 25th time in NBA history that a player has scored 3,000 points in a season. Michael Jordan did it 10 times, Wilt Chamberlain did it five and 10 other players — Bob McAdoo, Elgin Baylor, James Harden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic, Rick Barry, Shaquille O'Neal and now Gilgeous-Alexander — have done it once.
Gilgeous-Alexander also is the fourth player to score that many points while also handing out at least 600 assists in the same season. Jordan did that three times, while Doncic and Harden have done so once.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
22 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Australia's champion pedigree faces South Africa's gritty ambition in cricket's WTC final
Associated Press LONDON (AP) — When it comes to major cricket finals, Australia is in a league of its own. Only Australia has won all four men's global trophies. It is hard to beat in finals, having won 10 of 13 across the 50-over World Cup, 20-over World Cup, Champions Trophy, and World Test Championship. And let's not get started on the women's team, which is even more dominant. The men go for world title No. 11 from Wednesday in the WTC final against South Africa at neutral Lord's. That ruthless focus Australia brings on the biggest stages is in marked contrast to South Africa, a perennial underachiever. The Proteas have won just one of cricket's major international titles, the Champions Trophy's inaugural predecessor in 1998, when most of the current Proteas were toddlers. An experienced squad — average age 29 1/2 — compensates with a bond that can't be underestimated, a determination to have each other's backs. That showed often in the 2023-25 WTC cycle as the Proteas, who used 30 players — more than any other team — found a run-scorer or wicket-taker at just the right time. They won their last seven tests and were first to qualify for the final. 'We haven't been super dominant in our performances,' South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said when the team qualified in December. 'We definitely haven't been clinical or ruthless when the opportunity or the situation is called upon. But I think what we've done is that we've found ways to make sure that the result is on our side.' Who opens with Khawaja? Australia already had a veteran team when it won the 2023 final by crushing India by 209 runs at the Oval. Ten of that 11 are back. Only David Warner is missing, retired from the test format. Medium-pace bowler Josh Hazlewood was injured and didn't play, but he's expected to replace one of the 2023 stars, Scott Boland. Hazlewood overcame a shoulder injury to spearhead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a first Indian Premier League title last week with 22 wickets in 12 innings. Warner's permanent replacement at opener still hasn't been settled. Sam Konstas made an audacious debut at age 19 in December against India, but Travis Head was preferred in Sri Lanka in February. They seem to be the main candidates. Marnus Labuschagne has opened only once since 2016, and his form has dropped to the point of concern. He averaged just 28.33 in the WTC cycle and attempts last month to spark form at Glamorgan in the second tier of the English County Championship fell flat. In the same division, allrounder Cameron Green scored three hundreds for Gloucestershire in a comeback from lower spine surgery which sidelined him for six months. But he's not ready to bowl. It may not matter. Australia has four of its top 10 all-time leading wicket-takers in Nathan Lyon (553, third), Mitchell Starc (382, fourth), captain Pat Cummins (294, eighth), and Hazlewood (279, 10th). Steve Smith is locked in at No. 4 in the batting order. He turned 36 last week and hasn't played in the top flight since March, just like Konstas, opener Usman Khawaja, Lyon, Boland, and wicketkeeper Alex Carey. But they're entrusted with the knowhow to switch on when it counts. Smith has four hundreds in his last five tests, and passed 10,000 career runs, almost as many as the South Africans. At Lord's he averages 58. Rabada ready to roll Whoever opens with Khawaja will likely immediately face fearsome South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada. Khawaja will have his hands full. He's fallen to Rabada five times in 10 matches. Rabada, with 327 wickets, is three away from tying Allan Donald for fourth place on South Africa's all-time list. Rabada will have the company of left-armer Marco Jansen, who took 29 wickets in six matches in the cycle. The third seamer will be either Lungi Ngidi, who was one of eight South Africans at the IPL, or Dane Paterson, who has been nipping the ball around for Middlesex in county division two. South Africa has confirmed Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton as the openers and captain Bavuma at No. 4. They played in the IPL, too. Middle-order batter David Bedingham, South Africa's leading scorer in the cycle, proved in a warmup game against Zimbabwe that he's recovered from a broken toe sustained in April. How did they qualify? The finalists didn't meet in this cycle. Their last series was in January 2023, when Australia won 2-0 at home and dominated. South Africa didn't play England either. It topped the standings with eight wins from 12 tests despite forfeiting a series in New Zealand to focus on its domestic Twenty20 league. Australia also didn't play last-place Bangladesh. With 13 wins in 19 tests, Australia clinched its spot in the final by beating India in January. It lost only twice away from home. Lord's history Lord's, the home of cricket, holds no demons for both teams. South Africa has lost only once there in seven post-apartheid tests. The last appearance resulted in an innings victory inside three days in 2022. Australia has not lost at Lord's for 10 years. ___ AP cricket:
28 minutes ago
Hall of Famer Don Nelson selected as this year's winner of Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Don Nelson has been invited to the NBA Finals countless times in recent years, always declining those opportunities. This time, his peers found a way to ensure he couldn't say no. Nelson — a Basketball Hall of Famer and three-time NBA coach of the year — was announced Sunday as this year's recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. It will be formally given out Sunday night, about an hour before Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. 'History has already reflected Don Nelson's staggering contributions as a cutting-edge innovator and visionary of the NBA game,' said Pacers coach and NBCA President Rick Carlisle. 'Back in the '80s and '90s, he made teams adjust to historic pace, liberal 3-point shooting, inverted offense, and disruptive defensive schemes. All this while establishing himself as one of the most compelling personalities in all of professional sports.' Nelson, 85, retired in 2010 as the NBA's career coaching wins leader with 1,335, just ahead of Lenny Wilkens' 1,332. Nelson kept that top spot for nearly 12 years before now-retired San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich passed him in March 2022. Popovich is part of the committee that selects the Daly award winners. 'One of my best friends in my life," Nelson said of Popovich. "So, I'm really, really proud to be here and to share this award. I made the Hall of Fame in 2012 and this is certainly as important to me as that award was.' Nelson is one of only two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three franchises. He got to that mark with Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State, and also coached New York briefly in his career. Nelson and Daly were close friends. They went head-to-head 41 times as coaches: Nelson's teams went 21-20 in those games. 'Chuck was an absolute genius in all facets of the game and life,' Nelson said. 'I'm glad I had the opportunity to coach against him, learn from him, and benefit from his knowledge. To say that I'm deeply touched to receive an award that bears his name would be an understatement. This is special.' Nelson took teams to the playoffs 18 times as a coach and won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics. He started coaching in 1976 and what became known as 'Nellie Ball' soon created a buzz with him being generally credited for introducing what is now known as the point forward. His up-tempo offensive ways were probably best on display with Golden State in the 'Run TMC' era featuring Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. But his defensive schemes — including cross-matching and even writing the rules on illegal defense at the league's request, he said — should be remembered as well, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'I do appreciate the fact that he seemed boundless in terms of what he was willing to do, and he wasn't really relying on what was conventional,' Daigneault said. 'So, I have unbelievable respect for him.' The award is in Daly's memory and celebrates his 'integrity, competitive excellence, and tireless promotion of NBA basketball.' Prior recipients are Rudy Tomjanovich (2024), Rick Adelman (2023), Mike Fratello (2022), Larry Brown (2021), Del Harris (2020), Frank Layden (2019), Doug Moe (2018), Al Attles and Hubie Brown (2017), K.C. Jones and Jerry Sloan (2016), Dick Motta (2015), Bernie Bickerstaff (2014), Bill Fitch (2013), Pat Riley (2012), Lenny Wilkens (2011), Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter (2010) and Tommy Heinsohn (2009).
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Texas Attracting Relatives of NFL and NBA Stars is Raising Eyebrows Across College Football
Texas Attracting Relatives of NFL and NBA Stars is Raising Eyebrows Across College Football originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Whether fans are ready or not, the next wave of athletes has a high chance of making one feel old. Advertisement The athletes that many of us grew up watching now have children set to hit the college or professional ranks. While these players are scattered throughout the country, there seems to be a hotbed forming in Austin, Texas, at the most important position in football. Following the departure of Quinn Ewers, who was drafted in the seventh round with the 231st overall pick by the Miami Dolphins, the Longhorns will turn to former five-star and No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class, Arch Manning. Although he has two starts under his belt, fans have long been clamoring for the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning to take over. While the Manning name has plenty of notoriety, the Texas quarterback room has a chance to be headlined by the son of a former pro athlete for years to come. The Longhorns hold a commitment from 2026 five-star Dia Bell, the son of former Phoenix Suns star and two-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection, Raja Bell. They are also in the mix for a 2027 four-star Gunner Rivers, who is the son of eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Philip Rivers. Advertisement With Steve Sarkisian and Texas having a chance to obtain so much potential star power with famous relatives, fans online are taking notice. "Which would be indicative of NFL QBs believing in Sark's QB development," pointed out one fan. "That'd be insane," said another. "I sense a pattern there 🤔," suspected a third. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning takes the field before his team's College Football Playoff game against the Clemson Tigers at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Dec. 21, Miron-Imagn Images As it stands, Rivers doesn't hold an offer from the Longhorns, but the No. 1 player in Alabama did recently attend a camp. "My first time here, it went well, enjoyed, and good talking to all the coaches," Gunner Rivers told On3 about his Longhorns visit. "I had a great time." This past season for St. Michael Catholic, he threw for 3,927 yards and 36 touchdowns, leading his team to the semifinals of Alabama's 4A playoffs. As for Bell, he threw for 2,597 yards with 29 touchdowns while leading American Heritage to a 9-2 record before he suffered a season-ending injury in the playoffs. Advertisement While there's a chance this quarterback succession of relatives of former pros doesn't happen, Texas is clearly on track to attract the biggest names for years to come. Related: Rule of Legendary NFL Coach May Prevent Arch Manning From Entering 2026 NFL Draft This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
