Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 27 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 3 assists as he Thunder defeated the Trail Blazers (101-98).

The 24-year-old point guard has really flourished this season, averaging career-high 31.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 35.7 minutes per game.

While the player is having his best year in the NBA so far, Oklahoma City is among the bottom four teams in the Western Conference. Although the team is just two games behind the play-in zone, few expect the Thunder to make the playoffs.

Some might say that it would be better for SGA to move to a bigger market or to join a contender, but Damian Lillard, who has remained loyal to Portland for 11 years, thinks that is not always the best decision.

Via Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman:

“You never know what it’s going to look like or how the next team might view you, especially when you’ve had some injuries like he’s had,” Lillard said. “You just don’t know. Also I would tell him a lot of these people that are saying ‘free him’ and all of these things or whatever, they are not the people that are going to have to live with the consequences if it doesn’t work out. They’re not gonna ever have to walk in his shoes.”