Canadian moment of the week: Clippers rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ties career high against the defending champs

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The return of DeMarcus Cousins in Friday's meeting between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers was understandably the biggest story in the league that night, but it wasn't the only notable story from the game.

In a loss, Clippers rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Hamilton, ON) tied a career-high with 24 points to go along with five assists, three rebounds and three steals in 42 minutes, a performance that earns him Canadian moment of the week. 


 

Gilgeous-Alexander was aggressive throughout the night, going 7-for-17 from the field and seemingly getting to the free throw line at will. He finished the night shooting 10-for-10 from the charity stripe – career highs in both makes and attempts.

LA's head coach Doc Rivers has continued to show great confidence and trust in his rookie point guard, as he has started in 36 consecutive games after serving a reserve role in the first nine games of the season.

SGA's Blog: A look back on my rookie season at the halfway point

The 20-year-old Hamilton native ranks in the top-10 among all rookies in points (9.8), assists (2.9) and minutes per game (26.8) and has spent time on the floor with the team's late-game lineups.

As the Clippers look to remain relevant in a tightly-contested Western Conference playoff race, they will need Gilgeous-Alexander to continue to display a veteran's poise throughout the remainder of the season. They take on the Mavericks, Heat, Bulls and Kings in the upcoming week.

2018-19 Canadian Moments of the Week
Week 1 Kelly Olynyk's first-ever game winner WATCH
Week 2 Jamal Murray dunks over the Lakers WATCH
Week 3 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets fancy on the break WATCH
Week 4 Dwight Powell's alley-oop finish WATCH
Week 5 Andrew Wiggins elevates through contact WATCH
Week 6 Nik Stauskas beats the buzzer from 40 feet out WATCH
Week 7 Trey Lyles shows off his range to beat the buzzer WATCH
Week 8 Wiggins rises for the putback slam WATCH
Week 9 Murray sits down with NBA Canada WATCH
Week 10 A look back at the best Canadian Christmas Day performances READ
Week 11 Murray scores 46 against Suns WATCH
Week 12 Wiggins' career first half helps Wolves past Lakers WATCH
Week 13 Khem Birch gets up for big putback slam WATCH
Author(s)
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Gilbert McGregor is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News.