BBNBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops 40 in overtime win

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s incredible start to the NBA season kept rolling on Saturday. The former ‘Cat posted 40 points in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 130-123 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors. He filled up the entire stat sheet with seven rebounds six assists, two steals, and two blocks as well.

One of his two blocks came at a crucial point in the game. Up three with just over one minute left in overtime, SGA blocked Steph Curry’s 3-point attempt, then got the ball on a fast break and converted on the other end, sealing the win for the Thunder.

The former consensus four-star prospect out of high school is putting up MVP-type numbers this season and is showing no signs of slowing down. This could be a special year for the former Kentucky backup point guard.

Speaking of backup point guards, Cason Wallace played 28 minutes in the win for Oklahoma City but managed just three points on three shots. One of the reasons he did not get many opportunities is because Shai and fellow rookie, Chet Holmgren took most of them. Holmgren finished with 36 points, making he and SGA the first OKC duo to score at least 35 points apiece since Paul George and Russell Westbrook did it in 2019.

Karl-Anthony Towns flirts with a triple-double in Timberwolves win

Don’t look now, but the Minnesota Timberwolves are on top of the Western Conference standings. The Wolves sit at 9-3 in large part thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns. On Saturday, they notched their ninth win of the season over the New Orleans Pelicans in an impressive 121-120 win.

The game-winning shot belonged to KAT. Down one in the closing seconds, Towns drove the ball from the top of the key and hit a running floater off the glass to give the Wolves a one-point lead with five seconds remaining. The Pelicans’ last-ditch effort fell short and the Timberwolves claimed the win.

On top of the end-game heroics, Towns put up a near triple-double, scoring 29 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. He did all this while only missing one shot and not turning the ball over a single time.

KAT has been swirling around trade rumors, specifically to the New York Knicks, but with the Timberwolves as hot as they are, those whispers have quieted, perhaps for good.

Other BBNBA Notes:

• Bam Adebayo put up his standard double-double on Saturday, though the Heat fell to the Chicago Bulls 97-102. Bam finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds, but the Heat are anxiously waiting for Tyler Herro to return from injury.
• Keldon Johnson also had a 20-point outing on Saturday, scoring 22 in the Spurs’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Spurs keep getting lots of attention because of Victor Wembanyama, but Johnson is quietly third on the team in scoring at 16.3 per game.
• The New York Knicks secured a victory over the Charlotte Hornets thanks to 21 points, six rebounds, and eight assists from Julius Randle. He also held PJ Washington to just three points on 1-10 shooting.

BBNBA Statistics for 11/18/2023

Player	Score	PTS	FG (3PT)	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	P/M	MIN
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)	130-123 W vs. GSW	40	18-29 (2-3)	7	6	2	2	3	+7	41
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)	121-120 W vs. NOP	29	10-11 (2-2)	6	9	0	2	0	+9	33
Bam Adebayo (MIA)	97-102 L vs. CHI	24	8-12 (0-0)	10	5	0	0	3	-1	36
Keldon Johnson (SAS)	108-120 L vs. MEM	22	8-14 (4-7)	3	1	0	0	0	-13	33
Julius Randle (NYK)	122-108 W vs. CHA	21	8-17 (2-5)	6	8	0	0	4	+9	38
Immanuel Quickley (NYK)	122-108 W vs. CHA	9	4-11 (0-5)	4	1	0	0	1	-1	23
PJ Washington (CHA)	108-122 L vs. NYK	3	1-10 (1-7)	6	2	1	2	6	-25	33
Cason Wallace (OKC)	130-123 W vs. GSW	3	1-3 (0-2)	1	2	0	0	0	+4	28
Olivier Sarr (OKC) [2-Way]	130-123 W vs. GSW	DNP-G League
Nick Richards (CHA)	108-122 L vs. NYK	DNP-Concussion
Tyler Herro (MIA)	97-102 L vs. CHI	DNP-Ankle

Today in the NBA

3:00: 76ers (Maxey) @ Nets
4:00: Pistons (Knox) @ Raptors
5:00: Magic @ Pacers (Jackson, Tshiebwe [G-League])
6:00: Nuggets (Murray: out) @ Cavaliers
7:30: Kings (Fox, Monk, Lyles: out) @ Mavericks
8:00 (NBA TV): Suns (Booker) @ Jazz
8:00: Celtics @ Grizzlies
9:00: Thunder (Gilgeous-Alexander, Wallace) @ Trail Blazers (Sharpe)
9:30: Rockets @ Lakers (Davis, Vanderbilt: out)