NBA
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins elite group of 3,000-point scorers in OKC win
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All posts by Antonio KozlowUpdated23 mins ago on June 09, 2025
The first time a player reaches the NBA Finals, they usually shy down to the occasion, but not Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The OKC star led the charge in last night’s Game 2 victory to tie the series 1-1, combining for an impressive 72 points in his first two appearances in the league’s final stage.
With these point, not only did he become the 12th player in NBA history to reach 3,000 points in a season, but also made his own record for most points in a Finals debut. The previous mark had been made by Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson in 2001, when he combined for 71.
“I’m being myself,” the Thunder guard shared after the win. “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.”
Now, as the series shift to Indianapolis, the current league MVP will have another chance to improve his tally. During Game 1 of the series, in which they lost against the Pacers, he scored 38 points. This Sunday he dropped 34, which means he has more points than any other two players in the series.
His coach Mark Daigneault isn’t surprised any more, as he’s witnessed his greatness all season long. “Yeah, unsurprising at this point,” he said postgame. “It’s just kind of what he does. He just continues to progress and improve and rise to every occasion that he puts himself in and that we put ourselves in.”
The tactician then added: “I thought his floor game (in Game 2) was really, really in a great rhythm. I thought everyone played better individually, and I thought we played better collectively. I think that was a byproduct.”
Shai also contributed with 8 assists last night, which make him the 17th athlete in league history to have as many points and assists in a finals contest. “He’s MVP for a reason,” said rival Myles Turner. “He’s going to get off, and I think that we accepted that. It’s a matter of slowing him down and limiting the role players.”
