In an electrifying matchup, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a thrilling 141-135 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The game marked the Thunder’s second consecutive double-overtime game to start the season. Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away. He showed his quality and refusal to be denied by playing an astounding 45 minutes. His performance, which included a career-high 55 points, played a crucial role in the Thunder’s victory, especially in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals.
That was the drama that played out Thursday night. Gilgeous-Alexander, coming off a 47-minute effort in Tuesday’s opener, immediately stated that he wanted to continue to go after it. Though exhausted, he didn’t want to miss this experience and showed incredible fortitude as fatigue set in. After the game, he breathed a big sigh of relief. Sitting back in his chair during the postgame interview, he winced to display just how physically taxing the contest had been.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s determination was evident throughout the game. With just three minutes left in the game and his team down five points, he put all his energy into staying in the present. “Being in the moment and understanding that we’re down five, it’s three minutes left, there’s a lot of time left,” he stated. As his team stormed back to defeat a national power in the third-round playoffs, this attitude was contagious and instrumental to their success.
This 25-year-old standout was not simply a force of nature individually — he brought his team back from the brink in many ways. Follow-up story THE THUNDER WERE UGLY, but not just against the Pacers. Pascal Siakam was a monster with 32 points and 15 rebounds, and Bennedict Mathurin dropped an impressive 36 points and 11 rebounds. Yet for all of this, it was Gilgeous-Alexander who turned out to be the game’s defining player.
The victory held significance beyond just the scoreline, as head coach Mark Daigneault praised Gilgeous-Alexander’s composure in high-pressure situations. “Everybody has a lot of trust in him and his talent,” Daigneault remarked. He praised Gilgeous-Alexander’s poise, which can be an uncommon trait for younger players in those pressure cooker settings.
Normally an All-Star-caliber player, Gilgeous-Alexander’s early-season performance had acquired a gaudy sheen given the brutal start to the season. “It’s a good way to break the ice on the season, shake the rust off, kind of bust the lungs up, get my cardio back,” he remarked after the game. This wasn’t just personal for him — it underscored the need to build that momentum early on in a long season.
This was reiterated by Coach Rick Carlisle when talking about the grit and resilience of the team. “Grit is what our makeup is going to have to be this year,” he stated, emphasizing the need for a strong work ethic as the season progresses. He further acknowledged the significance of securing early wins, noting that “the difference in home-court advantage in the playoffs could be one game and one win.”
As the Thunder progress further into the season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still at the heart of their plan. His ability to perform under pressure, paired with his commitment to teamwork and growth, positions him as a leader on and off the court.
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