WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 16: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates after hitting the game winning shot against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on November 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The Oklahoma City Thunder evened the NBA Finals on Sunday night, beating the Indiana Pacers 123-107. It was a full team effort as five Thunder players scored double-digit points as the Thunder were able to bounce back after the loss in Game 1 to the Pacers, tying the series 1-1 before going to Indianapolis.
2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 34 points, which puts him in historic company.
Sunday night marked Gilgeous-Alexander’s ninth consecutive home playoff game with at least 30 points, which makes him one of only two players in NBA history to score at least 30 points in nine straight home playoff games, alongside Wilt Chamberlain (per Greg Harvey of StatsPerform). Entering Game 2, Gilgeous-Alexander was tied with Hall of Famers like Michael Jordan, Jerry West and Bob Pettit with eight straight games scoring at least 30 points, according to Stathead.
It was a massive win for the 2025 MVP, but it was also a huge win for the Thunder, as those points contributed to the Thunder’s Game 2 victory over the Pacers. The Thunder could have easily lost all momentum after losing due to Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning shot to give the Pacers the lead with 0.3 seconds left in Game 1. Instead, the Thunder bounced back and played with intentionality and intensity to ensure the series was tied entering Game 3.
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“I’m being myself,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, whose 72 points in the series are the most by a player in his first two Finals games, surpassing Hall of Famer Allen Iverson in 2001 by a point. “I don’t think I tried to reinvent the wheel or step up to the plate with a different mindset. Just try to attack the game the right way. I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that so far.”
It was Gilgeous-Alexander’s 12th 30-point performance during these playoffs, which surpasses Kevin Durant in 2014 for the most in franchise postseason history.
He had a very efficient outing, shooting 11 of 21 from the field, after a Game 1 that saw him miss 16 field goal attempts. His performance on Sunday set the tone early and steadied the Thunder just about every time the Pacers tried to make a run.
Game 3 is set for Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and Sunday’s win guarantees Gilgeous-Alexander a shot at breaking Chamberlain’s record by scoring 30 points in 10 straight home playoff games.
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