Everyone knows the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, can work his magic and put on his cape, but it can’t be an every-night occurrence. The Thunder were desperate to get back to their winning ways on Monday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, after losing their last two in ugly fashion. OKC’s desperation paid off as the Thunder got the win 117-112 over Cleveland, but it was a Superman performance.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot diet tonight
Definitely of unloading the clip
— therealmaine.bsky.social (@therealmaine.bsky.social) November 2, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Why this Playstyle is Unsustainable for the OKC Thunder
In Gilgeous-Alexander’s latest performance, the tank was emptied, scoring a season-high 43 points on a career-high 35 shot attempts and a 44.9% usage rate (including 13 attempts and an even higher usage rate in the fourth quarter), while also adding eight assists and two steals. It was a statement game for the reigning back-to-back MVP, as he single-handedly willed the Thunder to their fifth win of the season. However, this game showcased how unsustainable this is on a nightly basis.
The superstar guard put up an insane number of points, yet the Thunder won by only five. Outside of Ajay Mitchell’s 20 points and Kenrich Williams’ 12 points, no other player reached double figures; it was a rough showing for Oklahoma City overall.
Jared McCain’s shooting mini-slump from deep continued (he has missed 16 straight), missing all five attempts, along with Jaylin Williams, who hit only one of his five attempts and is shooting 20.8% from deep for the season. Isaiah Hartenstein made his presence felt on the glass, grabbing 14 rebounds, and his playmaking orchestrated the offense through the hub, dishing out four assists, especially in the second quarter. Still, he struggled with his touch, scoring five points on 2-for-8 (25%) shooting from the floor.
The lack of offense from Oklahoma City has been glaring over the past couple of games, but SGA has proven time and time again that he has counters and can counter when needed, but it shouldn’t be every time.
We all know how good SGA is, but if he has to replicate what he did against Cleveland every night, it’s not only unsustainable; that much responsibility will wear him down. Oklahoma City will have a long, unsuccessful season if the other players don’t step up.
The whole Thunder organization has shown how emotionally impacted they are by this many injuries in such a short span, as shown in their previous two games. Yes, their two co-stars, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, are out indefinitely, but this group has players who can step up and keep this ship afloat.
Mitchell is rising to the occasion; McCain, Hartenstein and Williams have shown that they impact winning, and now they have a bigger opportunity to prove it on a grander scale. Alex Caruso‘s return will provide a big boost. These players, along with the Thunder’s rookies, will have to step up and lighten the load on SGA.
Of course, SGA is what makes this engine go, but with how depleted this roster is right now, asking him to be Superman every night isn’t sustainable. Plenty of opportunities exist for multiple Thunder players to share the load, so it doesn’t all fall on SGA’s shoulders, which is crucial to making the best of this season.
