For a superstar equipped with a thousand ways to get a must-have bucket, it was only right that on December 31, 2024, there were just as many ways to quantify Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s greatness. From his own mic-drop quotes — “I get to the rim on anybody,” — to Most Valuable Player and “unguardable” endorsements from Minnesota’s similarly-transcendent guard, Gilgeous-Alexander might’ve left defenders behind, but he certainly didn’t leave any doubts regarding his ability. As halftime arrived, observers likely wondered how the trailing Thunder might absorb the opposition’s best blow; over the third quarter to follow, Gilgeous-Alexander arrived with both the punches and counters needed to put the Minnesota Timberwolves on the ropes. Alongside the points came signature moves, such as the brake-pumping between-the-leg dribble, unstoppable blends of power and precision as he located avenues for pull-up jumpers, and of course, masterful, clutch offense from each of the floor’s three levels. Uncheckable, and yet capable of checking every box at once, Gilgeous-Alexander added to season-long brilliance in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s seventh-straight win, collecting 40 points (on 15-of-23 shooting), alongside three rebounds, two assists, four steals, and three triples. · Jan 1, 2025