From entering the season as a title favorite to losing half of their core roster to long-term injuries, the OKC Thunder have endured a season's worth of emotions in the span of weeks. Yet somehow, amid the firestorm, they have started the year at 6-2.
After getting blown out consecutively by the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets, OKC has righted the ship, winning two straight against a contending Cavaliers team. The difference from one stretch to the next might be all too obvious, and his name is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The superstar was averaging just 26.0 points on 46.5 percent shooting over the first six games of the season. In the team's two recent wins, he has turned it on, scoring 40-plus points in both. The performances are reminiscent of another star who SGA knows all too well, and if recent trends continue, he could be competing with him for this season's scoring title.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic currently leads the NBA in scoring, which is nothing new under the sun. Doncic has been one of the league's most prolific scorers, and he has done so with unmatched volume.
Just last year, Doncic beat out Gilgeous-Alexander for the scoring title thanks to 3.4 more shots and 1.1 more free throws per game. The Slovenian is no stranger to carrying the offensive load, as he's averaged more than 20.0 shots per game for a decade.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is being forced to produce Doncic-esque
Over the years, SGA has mostly trailed Doncic in the volume department, largely because he hasn't had to carry as much offensive responsibility. Players like Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and various competent role players have been able to hold up their end of the bargain. As a result, Gilgeous-Alexander has been able to get his points at an unparalleled level of efficiency.
Early on, this season was looking like more of the same. If anything, the point guard was going to have to take a step back with even more mouths to feed. That fact was reflected in the league's early MVP odds. Needless to say, the landscape looks much different now after the flurry of injuries.
Shai's last two games have looked more Doncic-like than ever. He has scored 43 and 42 points, respectively, but it has come on a combined 61 shot attempts, a far cry from the 19-20 shots per game fans are used to seeing out of the reigning MVP.
If trends continue, the three-level scoring machine will continue to carry a heavier burden as OKC's younger role players get caught up to speed. If the past two games are any indication of what's to come, Gilgeous-Alexander will have a clear shot at dethroning Luka as the NBA's scoring king.
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