MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes feelings clear on 3-point shooting after notching 4th 50-point game in 41 days

OKC Thunder superstar point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his fourth 50-point performance of the season during Monday's 137-128 home victory over the Houston Rockets. Afterward, the three-time All-Star reflected on how his improved 3-point shooting has aided his career-best scoring campaign.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 51 points, five rebounds and seven assists as OKC secured its Western Conference-best 50th win (50-11). He shot 18-for-30 (60.0%), 5-for-9 from deep (55.6%) and a perfect 10-for-10 at the free-throw line in another dominant offensive showing.

The contest marked Gilgeous-Alexander's fourth time scoring 50-plus points over the last 41 days dating back to Jan. 22. This comes after he didn't cross the 50-point threshold once during his first six and a half seasons.

Through 60 outings, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging a career-high and league-leading 32.6 points per game. According to the 2025 MVP frontrunner (-550 odds), his expanded confidence in his outside shooting ability has played a pivotal role in his increased scoring.

"The work ethic — shooting shots I'm comfortable with," Gilgeous-Alexander said postgame. "Ultimately, trusting the work through the misses and the makes, knowing that if I take a shot I'm comfortable shooting at the right time in the game and it's a good shot, you live with the result."

Following Monday's victory, "SGA" is shooting 37.4% from long range on 5.7 attempts per game. In contrast, he shot 35.3% from 3 on 3.6 attempts a night across 75 appearances last season. So, he has elevated his 3-point volume and efficiency since last year's MVP runner-up finish.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all players in 50-point, 40-point, 30-point and 20-point games this season

With his scoring surge over the past six weeks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has firmly asserted himself as the NBA's top scorer this season.

Per Underdog Fantasy, the superstar leads all players in 50-point (four), 40-point (nine), 30-point (38) and 20-point outings (59). Meanwhile, his 1,957-point total is over 300 more than the league's next-highest scorer.

Given OKC's top-tier record and Gilgeous-Alexander's immense statistical output, awards voters will likely face difficulty passing up on recognizing him with his first MVP.

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