Even the league MVP, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had trouble locating the basket in Game 3 of the playoff series with the Indiana Pacers. Everything went through Mitch, but even with all of that help, Williams couldn’t find his offensive groove, settling for just 24 points and four assists. This performance was a glaring contrast from his previous game. In that game, he was scintillating with 34 points and eight dimes as he led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a drubbing of the Denver Nuggets.
Throughout the game, Gilgeous-Alexander faced extreme, suffocating pressure from the Pacers’ defenders. The team subsequently blitzed him a record 12 times. This level of intensity would be the most aggressive defense he has faced in his playoff career thus far. This super aggressive approach would force him into bringing the ball up the floor only 23 times. Because of that, this is the second least in this postseason.
Allowing a fourth quarter in which the Pacers outscored the Thunder 32-18, crippling the team’s chances for a comeback. Gilgeous-Alexander has been a little shaky in this pivotal stretch, scoring just three points on 1-of-3 shooting with zero assists. On top of that, he gave up six turnovers, an all-time high for him in any playoff game.
To wear him down the most important thing is… you’re persistent, you’re trying to make it difficult for him…It’s a team job. And we all, including me, have to be much more focused and connected on that end of the floor. That’s the only way we’ll get the job done! spoke Andrew Nembhard, emphasizing the work as a team that was needed to stop the star forward.
Gilgeous-Alexander was even more insistent that fatigue would not serve as an excuse for his play. He was insistent that no matter what, he had to muscle through.
“You got to suck it up.” – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The Pacers’ defensive plan went further than just on-ball pressure. With 9:38 on the clock, they caught him an astounding 65.5 feet from the basket. This distance is the longest he has ever been apart from any player in a game. This strategy forced him to spend energy offensively and defensively. As the game wore on, it severely affected his play.
Though these circumstances posed a significant challenge, there was little that would have deterred Gilgeous-Alexander’s competitive spirit. He did admit that the Pacers forced him to “run like crazy” in the game. He emphasized how crucial it is to stay resilient when the heat is on.
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