Some stars rise. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bloomed in silence. He stepped onto the court in 2018 like any rookie, but he carried a future written in fire behind that calm face. Fast forward to Game 2 against Indiana, and his fingerprints were everywhere. Every move screamed control, every bucket felt poetic.

Even Draymond Green had no choice but to take notice. Now, Rick Carlisle should, too. Because Shai is not knocking anymore. He is kicking down those postseason doors.

If you think a singled-out SGA is a weak SGA, it’s time for you to stop joking. Because a lone wolf is much more lethal and vicious. The 26-year-old’s 34-point game should be enough for the Pacers to think things through. So, talking about the game on the Draymond Green Show, the Warriors veteran sent a clear warning to Indiana.

Draymond Green triggers a siren for the Pacers after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Game 2 masterclass

Let’s get straight into it. Draymond Green believes SGA spells trouble for Indiana.

“I can see what Indiana’s theory is: we’re going to try to take everyone else out, make it tough on everyone else, and make Shai beat us one-on-one. The problem is, Shai had 34 and eight, and everybody else got off. So if that’s going to be a theory, you’ve got to actually stop everybody else — and they did not do that tonight,” Draymond said.

“I think if I’m Indiana, I think you’ve got to throw more zone at OKC, pack the paint a little more. Sometimes you’ve got to dare them to shoot. But I think, just like with any NBA team — especially at this level — you’ve got to switch it up,” the 35-year-old suggested. “Sometimes you’ve got to be daring them to shoot, sometimes you’ve got to be flying at the close. You just got to keep these guys off balance. Once again, playing at that youth — I think if you can do that, that’s ultimately what wins you the game.”

Draymond Green knows chaos can be a weapon. His advice for Indiana? Disrupt the rhythm. Throw zones, clog the paint, and force OKC to shoot under pressure. Most importantly, do not let them settle. Keep switching it up. Keep them guessing. Youth thrives on confidence, so shake it. Rattle the pace. Because in the playoffs, balance breaks games. And confusion, sometimes, wins them.

Meanwhile, Green saw through the noise and straight into OKC head coach Mark Daigneault’s message: “Indiana is an acquired taste.” The Indiana Pacers are quirky, unpredictable, and not easy to read. They challenge you with their pace and style. But OKC adjusted. That is what mattered.

From Game 1 to Game 2, the Thunder learned fast. They embraced the chaos, outplayed the oddity, and walked away with a win that proved maturity over mystery. However, “Rick Carlisle has to undoubtedly outcoach Mark Daigneault in order for the Pacers to win this series,” Green concluded.

But Draymond is not the only one who saw this coming. Long before Shai torched Indiana, another voice rang the bell. Doc Rivers had already painted the warning signs. His words, once buried in postgame chatter, now feel prophetic. As Shai rises, those old echoes are starting to sound a lot louder.

Doc Rivers saw the beast called SGA rise from nothing to everything

Shai’s first coach in the NBA was Doc Rivers. Before the veteran coach moved to Philly in 2020, he was with the LA Clippers. He nurtured the Canadian talent for a season. He knew what he was seeing: a star in the making. In 2023, Doc warned the league on All The Smoke that a storm was brewing in OKC.

But would he become the MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had he stayed at the Clippers 6 years ago? “He does. Ask Sam [Presti]. Had—you can ask Sam. When we did the trade, I told Sam, I said, ‘Man, I know we got to do this trade, but Shai’s gonna be a superstar, man,'” Doc Rivers shared. Did the then-Clippers HC foresee the future? Oh, yes, he did!

“You can. He had a great rookie year. And the other thing he has is character. He’s a high-character kid; he works. He wants to be coached. Yeah, and he wants—like, he invites coaching. And he’s got a—like, people get Shai wrong. Shai’s a dog. Like, Shai’s got this nice, you know, demeanor, but he is a dog. Like, he wants to tear you up, but he does it smiling. But Shai wants to rip you up.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander never needed a spotlight. He became one. Doc Rivers saw it coming. Draymond Green just rang the alarm. And now, the Pacers are living it. This is not a breakout. This is Shai claiming what was always his—quietly, fiercely, and on his own terms.