Scoring 50 points in an NBA Finals game is like climbing Everest with defenders hanging on your back. It’s not just rare — it’s historic. Few names even belong in that club: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Elgin Baylor. That’s rare air. So, as the NBA landscape shifts and younger stars rise, one question is gaining steam: Can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander be next?
We’re not talking regular-season buckets or playoff round one heroics. This is the Finals. The brightest lights. The most intense defenses. Every possession a war. Fifty in that environment? That’s legend-making stuff. And while Shai may not be there yet, 2025 might just be his time.
Shai’s Path to Stardom
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has evolved from promising rookie to full-blown superstar in record time. By the 2024 season, he was firmly in MVP discussions, averaging over 30 a night with efficiency that made analytics nerds and old-school hoopers nod in unison.
He’s the face of the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team built smart from the ground up — elite draft capital, long-term vision, and a clear identity: play smart, play fast, play together. But make no mistake: when they need a bucket, it’s Shai time.
He’s not loud, not flashy. But his game is pure poetry. Crafty drives, mid-range mastery, deadly footwork, and an uncanny ability to get to the line. No wasted motion. No unnecessary dribbling. Just buckets.
Why 50 in the Finals Is So Rare
Before we dive into what Shai might do, let’s acknowledge how hard 50 in the Finals truly is. You’re facing the best of the best — top-tier defensive schemes, players who have studied your tendencies for weeks, refs who let more physicality slide, and the mental pressure of every shot mattering just a little more.
Players like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant all had unforgettable Finals moments — but even they rarely cracked 50. It’s not just about skill. It’s about opportunity, rhythm, endurance, and timing.
When Giannis dropped 50 in Game 6 of the 2021 Finals, it wasn’t just dominance. It was destiny. Everything lined up — the urgency of a closeout game, his unmatched physicality, and Phoenix’s inability to stop him at the rim. It wasn’t just a performance. It was a message.
If Shai is to enter that territory, it’ll take a similar storm of factors aligning.
Can OKC Get There in 2025?
First things first: for Shai to even have the chance at 50, OKC needs to reach the Finals in 2025. And based on how 2024 ended — with the Thunder shocking critics, pushing deep into the postseason, and their young core continuing to grow — it’s not far-fetched.
Chet Holmgren will be stronger and more confident. Jalen Williams is already blossoming into a co-star. The supporting cast is deep and well-coached. And Sam Presti still has a war chest of draft picks that could turn into a key veteran piece at any time.
If the Thunder make the leap — which seems more a matter of when, not if — and Shai gets his Finals moment, the question shifts from can they get there to what can he do when he arrives?
What Makes Shai Dangerous in a Finals Setting?
Shai’s offensive toolkit is tailor-made for playoff basketball. In a Finals series, teams take away your first and second options. But Shai doesn’t rely on gimmicks. He lives in that mid-range area defenses often give up. He probes, he reads, he reacts. He doesn’t need to shoot 12 threes to get 35.
And most importantly? He gets to the line. A lot. In the 2024 season, Shai ranked among league leaders in free throws attempted and made. If the whistle’s blowing — and it does more when stars reach this level — he can build momentum the old-school way: two points at a time.
And don’t underestimate the Finals stage. Some players shrink. Shai doesn’t strike anyone as that type. He’s cool. He plays at his own pace. And under pressure, he seems to get better, not tighter.
What Would It Take?
Let’s imagine the scenario: it’s Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals. OKC dropped Game 1, stole Game 2, and they’re back home. The crowd is electric. The moment is massive. Shai’s locked in.
He gets rolling early — 12 points in the first quarter, mostly on tough mid-range shots and free throws. In the second, he starts hitting threes off the dribble. By halftime, he’s got 26.
Come the third, the opposing defense traps him harder, but it’s too late. He’s seeing the floor like Neo in the Matrix. The hesitation drives, the floaters, the soft-touch finishes — it’s all falling.
Fourth quarter. 45 points on the board. Five minutes to go. You can feel it coming.
He gets to 48 on a stepback from the elbow. Then, after a defensive stop, comes the moment. Shot clock winding down. Isolation at the top. He glides right, spins left, and hits a high-arching jumper over a contest.
Fifty.
Thunder crowd loses it. Shai nods once, calm as ever. It’s not cocky. It’s confirmation. He belongs here.
Final Word
Look — 50 in the Finals is rare for a reason. It takes skill, focus, and the perfect storm. But if any rising star in today’s league has the game, the poise, and the moment-in-waiting to do it, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is at the top of that list.
Will he do it in 2025? Time will tell. But one thing’s for sure:
50 ain’t easy. But Shai makes hard things look smooth.
