Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Joins Legendary List With Kobe Bryant After Game 5 Performance
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from winning the NBA championship. After a solid victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5, they are close to getting their first title since moving to OKC.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the big reasons why they are close to winning the title. The MVP had another huge performance in Game 5.
SGA finished the game with 31 points, two rebounds, and ten assists in the 120-109 victory over the Pacers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts after scoring during the fourth quarter of a game against the Denver Nuggets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs. He had...
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts after scoring during the fourth quarter of a game against the Denver Nuggets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs. He had another great performance in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. More
Photo byFollowing that performance, he joins some rarified air. He joins a list of all-time greats when it comes to scoring in the playoffs.
SGA joins Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players in NBA history to have 15 games scoring 30 or more points.
More history for SGA 🔥
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history with 15 or more 30+ point games in a single postseason! pic.twitter.com/x62BPS6pve — NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2025
Gilgeous-Alexander has been masterful throughout the entire postseason. There's a reason why he was the MVP this season. He's just so consistent and reliable.
Read more: Lakers' LeBron James Provides Crucial Update on Knee Injury
The Thunder have been buoyed by his consistency throughout the NBA Finals. They know they can count on him to have at least 25 points every night.
Despite the fact that Gilgeous-Alexander looks exhausted at the end of every game, he has still been able to lead them to three wins in the NBA Finals so far.
He is also just 26 years old. He is just now entering his prime. With how young the rest of the team is, this could just be the start of some great years for OKC.
Of course, the Finals are not over yet. SGA and the rest of the Thunder still have to play a game in Indiana, which is not a place teams have won very often in the playoffs.
They have to feel great that even if they lose that game, they get Game 7 at home on Sunday night.
More NBA on Newsweek: Kevin Durant Was Reportedly Interested in Joining Celtics at Deadline
Gilgeous-Alexander has a chance to keep increasing his scoring output in the next game. He's hoping that the Thunder have just one more game left in their season.
If the Thunder do end up winning the Finals, they could end up going down as one of the best NBA teams of all time. SGA has a chance to lead them to that immortality.
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