Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring less but OKC Thunder still dominating Lakers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains effective during the OKC Thunder's playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers despite not putting up large point totals.
LOS ANGELES — The sweet sound of a swishing net reached Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's ears. Then it was followed by the absence of any noise at all as the crowd at Crypto. com Arena went silent.
There's no sequence more satisfying when playing on the road, but Gilgeous-Alexander didn't savor the moment after making a mid-range jumper during the Thunder's 131-108 Western Conference semifinals Game 3 win over the Lakers on Saturday. He just shook his head while backtracking up the floor before clapping his hands in frustration. The lifelong perfectionist wasn't satisfied with his very imperfect individual performance.
One where he scored 23 points on just 7-for-20 shooting from the field (35%). It was an uncharacteristic scoring night by the reigning MVP. And that has been the case for the entire second-round series, where Gilgeous-Alexander has finished with fewer than 25 points in three straight games for the first time since 2024.
"They obviously haven't been my best performances," Gilgeous-Alexander said. More: Ajay Mitchell almost makes you forget about Jalen Williams' injury in Thunder playoff run Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't been happy with his scoring, and yet he has found joy elsewhere. He has found it when searching for ways to involve his teammates.
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