Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball as Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers chases him. Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images/Reuters
As mentioned by CNN
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander set a career high, pouring in 55 points, as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers 141–135 on Thursday, sealing their second straight win with two overtimes to start the season.
In the rematch of last season’s NBA Finals, both clubs again confirmed that there is virtually no meaningful difference between them: in 58 minutes, neither team led by more than seven points.
Despite the MVP-level night, he was supported by Aaron Wiggins with 23 points and nine rebounds, and A. J. Mitchell delivered a career-high 26 points off the Thunder bench – which was especially meaningful given the absence of key players such as Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Alex Caruso.
Meanwhile the Pacers, without Tyrese Haliburton, were led by Benedict Mathurin and Pascal Siakam, who both posted double-digit points and rebounds, combining for 68 points in the contest.
It was Pascal Siakam who initiated the decisive moment to end regulation: with seven seconds left on the clock and the Thunder up 113–111, the Cameroonian forward stepped back beyond the line and unleashed a high-arching 22-foot jumper that drew cheers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander then missed an open three, and the game went to overtime.
The first overtime gave SG-A a chance to showcase why he is the reigning MVP, when a decisive step-back gave the Thunder a two-point lead with 26.4 seconds to go, briefly silencing the crowd.
But the Pacers rallied again: led by the deft touch of Mathurin they engineered the decisive moment – the player’s 36th point tied the score 124–124 with 0:13 remaining in regulation.
After Gilgeous-Alexander again missed a go-ahead jumper, Oklahoma City again found itself in a double overtime.
A controversial sequence unfolded a few seconds before the end: with the Thunder up 139–135 and 22.1 seconds remaining, Pacers forward Obi Toppin appeared to intercept an errant pass, but officials credited a timeout to OKC’s bench, angering Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle.
The Thunder – the first NBA team in history to start the season with back-to-back wins in two overtimes – sealed the victory after Gilgeous-Alexander was fouled and knocked down the free throws.
After the game, Carlisle spoke to reporters: “I’m not talking about the referees. If we talk about the referees, I’m facing a huge fine.”
“I’m not talking about the referees. If we talk about the referees, I’m facing a huge fine.”
“They just kept coming to the free-throw line. When that happens, the pace of the game slows down. It makes it harder to get quality looks.”
“I’m tired, but that’s to be expected.”
“This is a good way to break the ice at the start of the season, shake the rust off the body and get the cardio back. Not perfect, four extra overtimes in two games, but we’ll take the two wins.”
Also on Thursday, the Golden State Warriors secured an overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets 137–131 thanks to 42 points from Stephen Curry, who added two rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.
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