“The cusp of winning is not winning. And the way I see it, winning is all that matters. So it hasn’t been fulfilling. We haven’t done anything, is the way I see it.” That was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander before Game 6 and he was locked in on the only outcome that matters: a championship. For five games, he had played with the poise and precision of a seasoned superstar, joining names like Michael Jordan and LeBron James by scoring 30+ points in four straight Finals games. But in Game 6, with the title within reach, the machine broke down. The scene in Indianapolis turned into a nightmare. The Pacers, facing elimination, played like it — faster, hungrier, and completely in sync. OKC was overwhelmed from the jump. Final score? 108–91, doesn’t even capture how lopsided it felt. It was a total system failure, and right in the middle of it was SGA, suddenly looking… human.

This wasn’t just a bad night from the field. It was uncharacteristic, jarring. Eight turnovers — a career high — more than made shots. His lowest point total of the series (21). And for the first time all postseason, his control, his calm, his command of the game slipped. And even worse, his co-stars weren’t there to pick up the slack.

Jalen Williams, fresh off a 40-point performance, finished with a brutal -40 plus-minus. Chet Holmgren had just four points. The trio that had carried OKC all year suddenly couldn’t keep up with Indiana’s second unit. And that’s the twist. While OKC’s stars crumbled, Indiana’s bench taught a masterclass in effort.

Obi Toppin, who hadn’t scored more than 10 points in a single game all series, led all scorers with 20. T.J. McConnell was everywhere — four steals, a burst of energy, and complete control of the offense. They didn’t just steal the game. They stole the stage. For Shai, the most surreal moment came late — when he was on the bench, in garbage time, watching the fourth quarter tick away. His MVP-caliber run had ended not in triumph, but in silence.

But he wasn’t sulking. Although the result was painful, Shai still found something to take away — not from Indiana’s run, but from his own teammates. A mic’d-up moment from the bench captured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander repeating a simple mantra to his guys: “One game for all the marbles.” Over and over. And when asked post-game what was going through his mind, he pointed to the guys in Thunder jerseys grinding it out in garbage time.

“Thinking about what I could have did better tonight,” Shai started, before pausing. “Also, watching the group on the floor was impressive. They were great. They haven’t played all series and then they go out there and play as hard as they did, was inspiring and they were really good tonight. Kind of taught me a lesson.”

For a player who has been compared to Kobe Bryant all postseason — praised for his surgical midrange game and steely calm — this was a different kind of lesson. The kind you don’t get from tape or training. The kind you learn by watching someone else want it more. And in that moment, SGA learned. “Just trying to do everything I can, everything I can learn from, to get ready for the next game,” he finished.

No drama. No excuses. And now it really is one game for all the marbles. But inspiration alone won’t win Game 7. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander saw it slip away—now he has to take it back

For the first time in the series, the Pacers dictated the terms. They were faster to every loose ball, sharper on rotations, and simply more aggressive. The Thunder turned it over 21 times — eight from SGA alone — and 19 of those points turned into easy transition buckets for Indiana. It was more than just carelessness. It was pressure, and OKC didn’t handle it.

To turn things around, it starts with Shai valuing the basketball and trusting his teammates more when the defense collapses. He’s been brilliant all postseason — but in this moment, being the best version of himself might mean moving off the ball, letting the game come back to him.

They also need to get Jalen Williams back in rhythm. After his 40-point explosion, the Pacers adjusted — loading up early and daring him to pass. In Game 7, the Thunder have to respond, using him in off-ball actions and early-clock sets that give him space before the defense settles.

And above all else, they cannot get outworked again. That was the gut punch. The Pacers’ bench outplayed them on effort alone. As coach Mark Daigneault put it bluntly, “A very poor performance by us… It was collective.” Chet Holmgren agreed: “No team’s just going to roll over and go home. We have to learn the lesson from tonight and come back and be better.”

That’s the mindset now. The blowout is over. The numbers, the mistakes — none of it matters anymore.

When asked what he needs to change for Game 7, Shai didn’t overthink it: “I don’t feel like I have to do anything other than just be the best version of myself,” he said. “I think that goes for everyone else in the room. We just have to bring what we bring to the table, what we’ve brought to the table all year.”

After the worst night of his career, the MVP found clarity from an unexpected place — the opposing bench. Now, with everything on the line, he has 48 minutes to respond.

“If you win it, you get everything. If you lose it, you get nothing,” he said. “It’s that simple.”