Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 42 points vs Suns (Apr 25, 2026): First round Game 3
42 PTS · 15-of-18 FG · 1-of-3 3P · 11-of-12 FT · 37:54 MIN
Usual: 2025-26 regular season, 67 games, Oct 21 – Apr 8 (31.2 PTS · 19.4 FGA · 33.2 MIN)
Game Score 38.6 against a usual 26.6 (+12.0)
above usual
Playoff game · against the 2025-26 regular season
No more than 5 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual: playoff games, each against the player's regular-season usual.
How the score worksWhy did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander score 42 points?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points in 37:54 against the Suns on Apr 25, 2026, Game 3 of the first round: 15-of-18 from the field (83.3%), 1-of-3 from three, 11-of-12 on free throws (91.7%). Before this game, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.2 points on 19.4 shots in 33.2 minutes across 67 regular-season games. The rate from the field was 83.3%, against a usual 55.4%. Points by shot type, against the usual: two-pointers 28 (18.1), free throws 11 (8.0), threes 3 (5.1). Minutes: 37:54, against a usual 33.2; Game Score per 36 minutes: 36.7, against a usual 28.8. The Thunder won 121-109 at the Suns. 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 (67 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 37:54 | 33.2 | +4.7 |
| Points | 42 | 31.2 | +10.8 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 18 · 83.3% | 19.4 · 55.4% | -1.4 · +27.9 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 1-of-3 | 4.3 · 39.2% | -1.3 |
| FTA · FT% | 12 · 91.7% | 9.1 · 87.9% | +2.9 · +3.8 |
| Rebounds | 4 | 4.3 | -0.3 |
| Assists | 8 | 6.6 | +1.4 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 2.2 | +0.8 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 67 games | 31.1 | 33.7 | -2.6 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 36.7 | 28.8 | +7.9 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (67 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 3 (1-of-3) | 5.1 (1.7-of-4.3) | -2.1 |
| Twos | 28 (14-of-15) | 18.1 (9.0-of-15.1) | +9.9 |
| Free throws | 11 (11-of-12) | 8.0 (8.0-of-9.1) | +3.0 |
| Total | 42 | 31.2 | +10.8 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
38.6 against a usual 26.6 (+12.0)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +13.5 |
| Rebounds | +0.1 |
| Assists | +1.0 |
| Steals and blocks | -1.0 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -1.6 |
| Total | +12.0 |
This postseason so far
Playoff games in date order, this game last; no score
| Date | Round | Opp | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2026 | First round · Game 1 | vs PHX | 29:12 | 25 | 4 | 7 | 20.7 |
| Apr 22, 2026 | First round · Game 2 | vs PHX | 38:18 | 37 | 5 | 9 | 30.5 |
| Apr 25, 2026This game | First round · Game 3 | @ PHX | 37:54 | 42 | 4 | 8 | 38.6 |
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Thunder won 121-109 at the Suns.
- Previous appearance: Apr 22, 2026, 3 days earlier.
- Earlier in this series: 25 points (Game 1), 37 points (Game 2).
- The source holds fewer Thunder regular-season games than the 2025-26 regular season had, so the usual line counts 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 regular-season usual line, never blended with last season. How rare a gap is comes from NBA playoff games of 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, each postseason checked on a table fit on the others; the top tier is Rare.