The Showdown
Star Point Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Delivers MVP-Caliber Performance, Enhancing Thunder's Chances in Potential Finals Appearance
In Game 2 of the NBA Finals, the undersized Pacers faced off against the towering Thunder, aiming to repeat the upset they'd pulled on the Knicks. But OKC's star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had other plans.
With the Paycom Center buzzing, SGA battered the Pacers with a staggering 34-point performance, backed by five rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. His dominating display sent the Thunder soaring to a 123-107 triumph, swerving Oklahoma City's Finals odds back in their favor.
"I'm just being myself out there," Gilgeous-Alexander said casually post-match. "I haven't tried to step up with a different mindset. I've just been attacking the game the right way."
SGA's offensive barrage showed no signs of slowing, as he drained 11 of 21 field goals and sunk 11 out of 12 free throw attempts during the game. He scored a crucial 19 points in the second half, snatching the win from the Pacers' grasp and stopping them from launching another dazzling comeback, akin to their Game 1 win.
Gilgeous-Alexander had earlier delivered an impressive 38 points during Game 1 butconverted only 14 out of 30 shots and missed a clutch jumper with 11 seconds left. However, TYrese Haliburton capitalized on that error to clinch the win for the Pacers in the dying seconds.
With 72 points, Gilgeous-Alexander now owns the record for the most points scored by a player during their first two Finals games, surpassing Allen Iverson's 71 points in 2001 for the Philadelphia 76ers.
"It's quite predictable at this point," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault admitted of Gilgeous-Alexander. "He just continues to progress, improving, and rising to every opportunity. He's been unstoppable."
Even though the Thunder emerged victorious in the regular season with a staggering 68 wins, they started as the heavy favorites against the East's fourth seed, the Pacers. But their shocking defeat in Game 1, where they led by 15 points in the final quarter, made Game 2 a do-or-die situation for the Thunder.
History shows that teams failing to win their first two Finals games at home rarely make a comeback. Only five out of 32 teams (13.5%) have managed to overcome that challenge. But teams managing a split in the first two Finals games at their home arena have won a substantial 27 out of 39 series, a strong 69.2%.
"Plan on SGA scoring 34 points before they even board the plane for the next game," grumbled Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. "We've got to make it tough on him."
Center Myles Turner echoed his sentiments: "He's MVP for a reason."
The gutsy Pacers overcame a seemingly insurmountable 17-point deficit in the Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks, winning in overtime at Madison Square Garden and eventually clinching the series in six games. But after their Game 1 meltdown, the Thunder rebounded strongly, bolstering their chances in the upcoming Game 3 in Indiana.
SGA's remarkable 30-point, 5-assist outings in these playoffs place himtie-third among the likes of Michael Jordan and LeBron James for the most occurrences of such performances in a single postseason.
"I'd trade all those points for two wins," Gilgeous-Alexander mused. "But that's not where we are now. You can't go back. We've just got to make the future better."
In the midst of the NBA Finals, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's impressive basketball skills were on display yet again, particularly in Game 2, as he scored 34 points, backed by five rebounds, eight assists, and four steals, helping the Thunder triumph against the Pacers with a score of 123-107.
SGA's basketball prowess in the NBA Finals is reminiscent of the sports competition, where every player aims to score points and contribute to their team's victory, much like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been doing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
