Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a fabulous 125-124 OT win. Most importantly, they took the floor at the same time against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Despite a challenging start to the game, Gilgeous-Alexander’s late surge proved pivotal in securing the win in front of an enthusiastic crowd celebrating the team’s championship from last season.
Gilgeous-Alexander played really poorly in the first half. He had only five points and only shot five field goals on the night. He struggled with turnovers, turning the ball over three times and recording just one assist through the first half. Houston’s defense nullified him, so it was tough for the star guard to get going early.
To win the game in the first overtime period, Gilgeous-Alexander took his opportunity. Boom, tweet goes the game as Tari Eason provides the perfect perfectly-timed block to save the W. Even with this disappointment, he didn’t lose his focus or his drive to help his team succeed.
The fourth quarter was a big turning point for Gilgeous-Alexander as he really started to hit his stride and scored 12 points. However, he gave a real barnburner of a performance. With only three seconds remaining on the clock, he drilled a difficult midrange pull-up jumper contested by Amen Thompson to tie the game.
With 2.3 seconds remaining, Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down both free throws, giving the Thunder the win. He finished the game with 35 points. While he shot a respectable 12-of-26 from the floor, his three-point shooting was a disaster as he converted only 1-of-9 attempts. His big game included 12 points in the two overtime periods. Perhaps most impressively, he scored five final points in the last minute of regulation to allow Oklahoma City to come back and finish the game.
Reflecting on his performance, Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, “I need to be better,” while emphasizing the importance of consistency throughout all 48 minutes of the game. He shared more about his emotional reaction to the pregame ceremony honoring last year’s championship, which he described as “surreal.”
“As the game went on, naturally the coverages got looser.” – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Teammate Alex Caruso knew he was special, saying as Gilgeous-Alexander struggled early on, “You can’t stop great players for an entire game. This was the feeling across the arena, as fans and proper basketball fans got to witness his late-game heroics.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s composure and skill in clutch moments were pivotal in the Thunder’s resurgence from their slow start to the season. On the personal side, this victory illustrates his amazing bounce back as a player. More importantly, it further establishes him as one of the undisputed leaders on the squad.
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