Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has powered the Oklahoma City Thunder to within four wins of an NBA championship by revolutionizing scoring inside the three-point line, according to new NBA pose-tracking data analysis.
The 26-year-old guard scored just 72 of his 476 postseason points from three-point range, instead relying on driving layups and midrange jumpers. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, 46 of his 53 field goals came inside the arc.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA with over 20 drives per game during the regular season, nearly three more than second-place Jalen Brunson. He accumulated 48 driving shot attempts alone during the five-game conference finals series.
The Thunder star converted 53 percent of his league-leading 109 attempts from 8-16 feet during the postseason. His 127 two-point jumpers represent 36.7 percent of his total field goal attempts, compared to just 11.6 percent league-wide.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the season with a league-high 302 driving layups, outpacing Giannis Antetokounmpo's 290. He also led the NBA by converting 7.9 free throws per game through his aggressive attacking style.
The Indiana Pacers face the challenge of containing the league's best attacking guard when the Finals begin. During two regular-season matchups, Indiana allowed Gilgeous-Alexander over 20 points on drives alone despite using Andrew Nembhard as his primary defender.
Minnesota's only Western Conference Finals victory came when they limited Gilgeous-Alexander to six driving attempts and 14 total points in Game 3.