Exhausted But Unstoppable.INDIANAPOLIS — A deep, weary breath was let out by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he parked himself in his chair in the postgame interview room. It wasn’t weariness, but relief. The Oklahoma City Thunder created history on Thursday evening, becoming the first team ever to win two straight double-overtime games in NBA history. No team had ever done this so early in a season.
- And this win was all the more special since it was a replay of last season’s NBA Finals—the Thunder again dominated the Indiana Pacers, beating them 141-135, the same team they beat in the finals following a seven-game losing streak in June.
“Ahh, yeah, I’m exhausted, but that’s what I anticipated,” remarked Gilgeous-Alexander, whose career-high 55 points helped turn the game around. “It’s opening night—it’s a good way to get the ice broken, get the rust off, and your heart and lungs ready to go.”
The turning point was when things began to shift.Thunder coach Mark Daigneault had intended to restrict his players’ playing minutes following a grueling game against Houston in the opening game. The time was in the first overtime when the Thunder were behind 118-113 with only 3:16 left on the clock—an easy chance for the coach to give way.
But Gilgeous-Alexander, who played 45 minutes today after playing 47 minutes on Tuesday, was not about to back down. He did not want the chance at victory to slip through his fingers.
Two things,” he said. “First, knowing that moment when we’re just five points behind with three minutes left, that’s a lot of time. And second, knowing that every game at the start of the season is just as vital as the end of the season.”
“Home-court edge in the playoffs can spell the difference between a game and a victory. We know how much it helps to play at home in the playoffs, particularly in a seven-game series. So we don’t want to let any opportunity pass.”
Unexpected Hero: The Rise of Ajayi Mitchell
The Thunder lacked some of their key players – Jalen Williams, Kason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Alex Caruso – in Thursday’s rematch. But second-year guard Ajayi Mitchell filled the void, posting a career-high 26 points on the bench.
- Daigneault was effusive in his praise, saying, “Everybody has belief in his ability, but his consistency in both games. He was phenomenal in both games. We knew his ability and what he could do, but sometimes young guys get a little too tentative. That wasn’t him.”
Gilgeous-Alexander hugged Mitchell warmly after the buzzer – largely from exhaustion, but mostly out of appreciation for the young guard’s record-setting performance.
Various players are rising to the occasion,” Gilgeous-Alexander explained. “A great many people stepped up to the plate tonight. We’re fatigued from playing so much in the last game. But this team never excuses itself. We’re always prepared for the next moment.”
The Pacers demonstrated incredible grit despite struggling with injuries.
The Pacers, without star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, tested the champions to their limits. Aaron Nesmith fouled out in the fourth quarter, and Andrew Nembhard suffered a left shoulder injury in the first half.
Carlisle indicated that Nembhard’s shoulder will be checked on Friday, and he did not sound hopeful: “It could potentially present some serious challenges.”
Nevertheless, the Pacers again took the champions to the verge of elimination, as they did in the Finals. Pascal Siakam stood out with 32 points and 15 rebounds, while Benedict Mathurin also had a double-double with 36 points and 11 rebounds.
“We’re going to have to grind hard this year, Carlisle conceded. “There are going to be a lot of challenges. We just have to be able to endure these challenges for an extended period.”
