“I don’t watch basketball,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently. That’s how he decompresses…by turning it off completely. But when he does hit the hardwood, it’s like nothing else in the world matters more than this game to him. The OKC Thunder are in the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years and there are no doubts that most of the credit goes to Shai. He’s been living up to that MVP status all through the Playoffs. And now, after OKC evened the series in Game 2, he sounded like he was repeating his own mantra. But honestly, that’s exactly how you know he’s locked in, right?

After a gut-wrenching Game 1 where the Thunder blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead, they came into Game 2 with one goal: don’t let up. Well, they didn’t. Not even a little. Oklahoma City cruised to a 123–107 win over the Indiana Pacers to even the series, and of course, Shai was in the middle of it all, dropping a cool 34 points.

On the other end, Tyrese Haliburton after his game winner in the last one, didn’t really find his rhythm until it was a little too late. He had just 5 points through three quarters before ending with 17. But by then, OKC had the game on lock. The Thunder took control midway through the second quarter, grabbing an 11-point lead with 7:47 left and never looked back. From then on, it was all blue and orange. 

They shot better, drained more threes, got to the line more, and finally flipped the script on the boards. Defensively, they looked every bit the No. 1 team they’ve been all season. So what changed?  “Basketball is a game of ups and downs,” Shai said postgame. “The season’s full of ups and downs. The series is full of ups and downs. And it’s about the team that can stay level-headed and get better throughout the experiences. That’s gonna come out on top.” 

That’s not just talk, though, as that’s exactly what they did between Games 1 and 2. They didn’t mope, they adjusted. When asked about what it’s like to keep the same mindset after a win instead of a loss, the hooper didn’t flinch. “The exact same way. You can’t get comfortable,” he said. “You gotta focus on the little things, recovery, get ready for the game plan. And ultimately, I’m gonna sound like a broken record, but get better for the next game and the next opportunity.”

And this coming back strong after losing is nothing new for SGA and the Thunder. After dropping a tight one to Denver 121–119 at home, they didn’t just sit around feeling sorry for themselves. They came out firing in Game 2 and absolutely crushed the Nuggets 149–106. Sure, Denver grabbed Game 3, but OKC bounced right back in Game 4 and 5 to even the series again. Then they won that big Game 7 blowout, sealing it all with a 125–93 statement win.

Basically, when the Thunder get hit, they hit back harder, and the MVP has been leading that charge all the way. Also, making history along the way.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues making history in first NBA Finals run

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the middle of a sensational 2024–25 season, and while the ultimate goal is a championship, it’s already been one for the history books. Sure, this is his very first NBA Finals, but you wouldn’t know that watching him torch defenses like it’s just another day in the office. 

The MVP is on a mission, and history’s getting made along the way – whether he ends this season with a ring or not. In his Finals debut on Thursday night, Shai dropped a jaw-dropping 38 points. And even though Tyrese Haliburton had other plans for Indiana and stole the win in the final moments, that didn’t stop Shai from putting the league on notice. 

That 38-point explosion was the third-most in a Finals debut in NBA history, right behind George Mikan (42 in 1949) and Allen Iverson (48 in 2001). But Sunday night in Game 2, SGA prevented his performance from being wasted this time. He stuffed the stat sheet with 34 points, 5 boards, 8 assists, and 4 steals on an efficient 11-of-21 from the field and nearly perfect 11-of-12 from the line. 

And just like that, the Thunder evened the series 1–1. Now for the fun part, with that Game 2 masterclass, Shai joined Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only players ever to put up 11+ games with 30+ points and 5+ assists in a single postseason. Not just greats, the GOATs. And he’s not done. 

Sunday also marked the moment Shai crossed the 3,000-point mark across the regular and postseason combined this year, becoming just the 12th player in NBA history to ever hit that milestone. So if this is what Year 1 of Finals looks like for Gilgeous-Alexander, he could undoubtedly join the ranks of some of the greatest ever.

For now, Game 3 set for Thursday morning in Indianapolis, the city’s first Finals game in 25 years. We’ll see what OKC and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bring to the floor next.