The NBA this season has been thrilling. While veterans like James, Curry, and Durant continue to show remarkable dominance, the young stars like Jokic, Embiid, and Giannis maintain their strong presence, forming the backbone of the league. Rising talents like Doncic, Edwards, and Alexander are evolving and becoming the faces of the league’s future. Among these emerging stars, Alexander and his leadership with the Thunder shine brightly! The Thunder, known as the NBA’s West Point, have a sharp eye for talent in their management.
The Thunder have exploded this season, quickly establishing a strong record. According to media reports, they are a truly balanced team, ranking second in the league with a 3-point shooting percentage of 38.8%, third in overall shooting percentage at 48.8%, fourth in offensive efficiency at 121.5, and eighth in defensive efficiency at 115.1, with a net efficiency of 6.4, ranking them among the top three teams. Neither the defending champions, the Nuggets, nor the current league leaders, the Celtics, can easily defeat the Thunder. The rise of the Thunder is closely linked to their star player Alexander, who has shown breathtaking dominance this season.
Alexander has been outstanding this season, averaging 30.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, ranking third in scoring and first in steals in the league. He has a shooting percentage of 53.9%, a 3-point shooting percentage of 37%, and a true shooting percentage of 63.8%. These basic statistics do not fully show Alexander’s terror. His style of play does not completely align with the modern basketball ideology of three-point shooting. Unlike those who favor three-point shots, Alexander’s scoring relies mainly on precise mid-range shooting and sharp drives. In crucial moments, he can consistently make seemingly ordinary mid-range shots, making it difficult for opponents to defend against him. His drives are lightning-fast, easily tearing through opponents’ defenses.
Take, for example, today’s game against the Kings. Alexander, who had missed several games due to injury, was caught off guard by the Kings’ 3-pointers in the first quarter, with Fox and Ellis continuously hitting 3-pointers. At halftime, the Thunder were already 19 points behind. Clearly, the Kings were determined to win and secure a spot in the top seven in the West. However, in the third quarter, Alexander, adapting to the intensity of the game, began to show his scoring prowess, leading the team on a 24-7 run, narrowing the gap. In the final quarter, both teams played intensely. Fox made crazy 3-pointers, but Alexander tore apart the Kings’ defense with his drives, dealing decisive blows. At a crucial moment, Alexander scored 6 points in a row, leading the team to a big comeback.
In the entire game, Fox made 17 attempts from beyond the arc, hitting 7 shots and scoring 33 points, while Alexander only attempted 3-pointers 3 times, hitting 2 shots. The rest of his 18 attempts were all drives and mid-range shots, ultimately scoring an impressive 40 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. As the team’s offensive core, it’s clear who is stronger. In fact, the Thunder, who have already secured the third spot in the West, could have easily let the Kings win, making teams like the Lakers and Warriors more uncomfortable. If the Lakers enter the play-in tournament as the ninth or tenth seed, the Thunder could avoid them in the first round, considering their lack of experience and inability to handle Anthony Davis inside. However, the young and spirited Alexander refused to let up, unafraid of any opponent.
So far this season, Alexander has scored 30+ points in at least 50 games, surpassing Durant’s record of 47 times, becoming the Thunder’s all-time leading scorer. Despite playing fewer games, he is still ahead of Doncic by 1 game, ranking first in the league. Additionally, Alexander has had 27 games with 30+ points while committing fewer than 2 turnovers. It is also worth mentioning that Alexander has achieved 35 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 0 turnovers in a single game four times in his career, surpassing Durant, Westbrook, and other historical superstars, ranking first in Thunder history. Alexander’s performance once again proves the Thunder’s reputation as a West Point in the league.
