Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a thrilling 125-124 victory over the Houston Rockets. The championship game featured an epic fourth-quarter comeback and stretched into two thrilling overtime periods. After an up-and-down first half, Gilgeous-Alexander proved his mettle, scoring 35 points and coming up with big-time offense in clutch moments.
In the first half, Gilgeous-Alexander struggled significantly. He took a total of five shot attempts from the field and had three turnovers while only dishing out one assist. This lackluster start left many wondering about his effect on the game. As the game went on, he started to figure things out.
Key, decisive moments would come in the 4 th quarter and afterwards. Gilgeous-Alexander put on a performance for the ages, erupting for 12 points in the last period alone. He blew past his total of 11 points through the first three quarters. His performance included a challenging midrange pull-up jumper over Amen Thompson that tied the game with just three seconds remaining.
With just under three minutes left and the game tied, Gilgeous-Alexander found himself at the free-throw line. He had just been elbowed in the face by Kevin Durant. The pressure didn’t phase him, and he coolly made both attempts, giving the Thunder a 117-115 victory with just 2.3 seconds remaining on the clock.
As the game progressed through the subsequent overtime periods, he didn’t stop there, contributing an additional 12 points to his total. In that all-important final minute, he scored five points himself. His plays on that end helped seal the game away and preserve the win for Oklahoma City.
“As the game went on, naturally the coverages got looser,” – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Even with an overall finish that was less-than-stellar shooting performance, Gilgeous-Alexander proved he could shine in big moments. He only succeeded on 12 of his 26 field-goal attempts. He was off with his long-range shooting, going 1 for 9 from deep.
Alex Caruso, who defended Gilgeous-Alexander on key endgame possessions, was impressed with what he saw from the guard. “You can’t hold down great players all game,” he remarked, reflecting on how Gilgeous-Alexander found ways to exploit defensive lapses.
On-court pregame ceremonies honoring the Thunder’s championship run last season only heightened the spectacle, with Gilgeous-Alexander calling the atmosphere “surreal.” The fever pitch of the night didn’t distract him from his commitment to molding a great night into a great performance.
When asked to assess his performance as a whole, Gilgeous-Alexander said he was going to do better. “I’ve got to be better,” he said, making it clear that while he’s pleased with his performance, he hopes to take things to another level when they meet again.
This win provided evidence of the Thunder’s new penchant for come-from-behind magic. Perhaps more significantly, it underscored just how special a leader and clutch performer USA’s Gilgeous-Alexander truly is. His late-game heroics solidified his reputation as one of the league’s bright stars on the rise. Fans, players and coaches all share a renewed sense of excitement for the future.
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