With this performance, Shai also made NBA history. He became the only Canadian-born player to record multiple games with 50 or more points. Of course, he was tied with fellow Canadian-born player Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets with one 50-point game, but after his incredible performance Wednesday night, Shai now stands alone at the top.

In mid-December, Denver’s Nikola Jokic had a healthy lead on Gilgeous-Alexander in ESPN’s MVP straw poll, conducted several times over the course of each season by Tim Bontemps.

One week after scoring 54 points in a win, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 52 in a losing effort Wednesday night against the Warriors.