‘I Feel Bad’: Lu Dort Praises Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Explosive Start
The clock read 6.1 seconds as Josh Giddey received the ball on the sideline from the official, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needed just five of those seconds.
Giddey dished the ball off to SGA who had created a slight bit of separation between himself and Wizards guard Monte Morris. After gathering the pass SGA faced his body toward the basket, he dribbled and displayed his swiftness to create enough separation from Morris to heave up a 3-point attempt.
With OKC trailing the Wizards 120-118, a 3-point basket would put the Thunder ahead as time dwindled down.
With about three seconds left, the ball left Gilgeous-Alexander’s hand hitting only the inside of the net before touching the court again.
The Thunder didn’t surrender the lead after a Wizards timeout, completing yet another monster outing from the Thunder’s star.
SGA finished the game with 42 points — which ties a career high — six rebounds and seven assists.
The stat line is the latest installment of career definition season for Gilgeous-Alexander, who is on track to be in line for his first All-Star selection. The lights out lay has earned the attention of not only the rest of the league, but his teammates are beginning to feel sorry for their opponents.
“I feel bad for the dudes we go against that got to guard Shai, honestly, yeah I feel bad.” Lu Dort said. “He’s got the full package. You don’t know what he’s going to do (with the ball) , go to the rim, give it to the bigs or shoot a three, so you just have to guess and try your best.”
Dort knows a thing or two about defending star players, as OKC’s top defender and one of the best in the league. The praise for SGA was league-wide as media members and others took notice of Gilgeous-Alexander’s latest installment of his 2022-23 campaign.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s road to averaging 32.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game hasn’t come easily – despite how easy he’s made it look — OKC has had one of the toughest opening stretches of their schedule in the league.
The praise, and the season, is just beginning, but it seems the praise of SGA is just beginning.
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