The Oklahoma City Thunder have continued their dominance from where they left off in last year’s title season. With the win against the New Orleans Pelicans, they are currently sitting with a 7- 0 record.
Thunder’s reigning regular-season MVP and last year’s Finals MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, posted another dominant performance, scoring 30 points and dishing out seven assists while shooting 57 percent from the field, displaying his consistency at the highest level yet again.
At this point, Gilgeous-Alexander’s performances are no surprise to anyone. After last season’s dominant individual run, it seems like he has gotten even better, which is sinister for the rest of the league.
Due to his unparalleled consistency and efficiency, former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins shared his opinion on Gilgeous-Alexander’s individual scoring rank when asked if he would become the best scorer of his generation.
“I would have to say yes, or we should have a strong consideration for sure. Obviously, he is in a league of his own right now. This kid is elite. We’re running out of compliments for the kid. As far as his company, I can’t think of a guy outside of Jokic that could possibly be mentioned in this class. And they might not be in the same top frame. He’s definitely in a category of his own, maybe Tatum can be put up there, but I think SGA is definitely in a league of his own,” Cousins said without hesitation.
Almost in a league of his own
Due to his remarkable impact, efficiency, elite scoring, and overall consistent play, SGA achieved unique statistical feats. He finished the 2024-25 season with 32.7 points per game, while shooting 52 percent from the field, putting Shai in company with only Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry.
After winning last year’s regular season MVP, finals MVP, and a scoring title, he became just the fourth player to accomplish such a feat, alongside MJ, who did it four different times, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal.
Additionally, advanced metrics such as Estimated Plus-Minus, Estimated Wins, and Net Rating further highlight Gilgeous-Alexander’s dominance, extending beyond regular statistics, which also show that he led the league in those categories. With that, Shai’s isolation efficiency is ranked among the highest ever at 1.10, based on his unique drives to the basket, which he also led the league in.
Thunder’s expectations
As of now, the Thunder appear to be the favorites for a repeat, a feat that has yet to be accomplished since the Golden State Warriors in 2018. However, it is still the beginning of the season, and there is a lot of basketball left to play.
We have seen this trend before, as with the Boston Celtics, who were expected to repeat as champions last season after their 2024 title run, but ultimately failed to do so. With them were the Denver Nuggets in the 2023-24 season, who were seen as the squad to beat for a championship, based on their success in 2023.
Still, the Thunder are yet to have their second-best player, Jalen Williams, back, as he is out due to a wrist injury he suffered last postseason. J-Dub is expected to return in the middle of this month, but he can definitely take his time and rest up fully, since the Thunder have no issues whatsoever.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
