Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 40 points vs Bucks (Jan 21, 2026): 2nd-best of 42 games
40 PTS · 16-of-19 FG · 2-of-2 3P · 6-of-7 FT · 33:18 MIN
Usual before this game: 31.8 PTS · 19.6 FGA · 33.3 MIN, from 41 regular-season games
2nd-best Game Score of the 42 games the source holds this season: 42.3 against a usual 27.0 (+15.3)
above usual
No more than 4 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander score 40 points?
In 33:18 against the Bucks on Jan 21, 2026, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points: 16-of-19 from the field (84.2%), 2-of-2 from three, 6-of-7 on free throws (85.7%). Coming in, Gilgeous-Alexander had averaged 31.8 points on 19.6 shots in 33.3 minutes, from 41 regular-season games. This game had the 2nd-best Game Score of the 42 games the source holds this season. Gilgeous-Alexander shot 84.2% from the field, against a usual 54.9%. From two-pointers, 28 points against a usual 17.7; from free throws, 6 points against a usual 8.3. Minutes: 33:18, against a usual 33.3; Game Score per 36 minutes: 45.7, against a usual 29.2. Gilgeous-Alexander had 11 assists, against a usual 6.2. The Thunder won 122-102 at the Bucks, a 20-point win. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Gilgeous-Alexander in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (41 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 33:18 | 33.3 | 0.0 |
| Points | 40 | 31.8 | +8.2 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 19 · 84.2% | 19.6 · 54.9% | -0.6 · +29.3 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 2-of-2 | 4.9 · 40.2% | -2.9 |
| FTA · FT% | 7 · 85.7% | 9.3 · 89.0% | -2.3 · -3.3 |
| Rebounds | 7 | 4.3 | +2.7 |
| Assists | 11 | 6.2 | +4.8 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1.9 | +0.1 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 41 games | 33.2 | 33.5 | -0.3 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 45.7 | 29.2 | +16.5 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (41 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 6 (2-of-2) | 5.8 (1.9-of-4.9) | +0.2 |
| Twos | 28 (14-of-17) | 17.7 (8.8-of-14.7) | +10.3 |
| Free throws | 6 (6-of-7) | 8.3 (8.3-of-9.3) | -2.3 |
| Total | 40 | 31.8 | +8.2 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
42.3 against a usual 27.0 (+15.3)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +10.7 |
| Rebounds | +1.4 |
| Assists | +3.4 |
| Steals and blocks | -0.9 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +0.7 |
| Total | +15.3 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
2nd-best Game Score of the 42 games the source holds this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Thunder won 122-102 at the Bucks, a 20-point win.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Bucks this season.
- The source holds fewer Thunder games than this season has, so season highs, lows and ranks count only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.