Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Leads Thunder to Commanding Game 2 NBA Finals Victory

Circle your calendars for June 8, 2025.

This was the day the Oklahoma City Thunder made their mark at the NBA Finals.

The performance we saw on Thursday did not resemble the Thunder we know. Allowing an opponent to shoot 47.6%? Uncharacteristic of OKC. Hitting 46.2% from three-point range? Unusual for OKC. Failing to capitalize on forced turnovers? Unthinkable. In Game 1, Thunder’s lead never surpassed 15 points. However, in Game 2, a dominant first half lead of 23 points helped them secure a 123–107 victory over the Indiana Pacers, leveling the series at 1-1.

“This evening was a truer reflection of our real gameplay,” remarked Alex Caruso.

Indeed, Game 2 showcased the Thunder team that has become familiar to us, the powerful 68-win team that outmaneuvers opponents in numerous ways. Their defense was tight; the Pacers were limited to 45.1% shooting from the field and 35% from beyond the arc. Tyrese Haliburton managed only 17 points, with a mere five before the final quarter. Pascal Siakam shot 3 for 11, and Obi Toppin made just one of his eight attempts. For the second consecutive game, the Thunder held the Pacers to only 34 points in the paint.

“They have numerous defenders who can effectively guard and are tremendously physical,” Haliburton observed.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted solid statistics in Game 1, despite needing 30 shots to score 38 points and occasionally appearing overzealous. In Game 2, he was exceptional, scoring 34 points from 21 shots, dishing out eight assists, grabbing five rebounds, and going 11 for 12 at the free throw line. The MVP adeptly navigated through defensive traps, causing disruption in the half court.

“We attacked more effectively as a team,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “It was a bit sluggish last game. It’s tough having those kinds of games on this stage, but that’s our reality. The only thing to do is strive to improve for the next one.”

The first game was a disappointment for Gilgeous-Alexander, who believed they should have won by a larger margin instead of losing by a point. Determined not to let that happen again, he scored 15 points in the first half and added 12 more in the third quarter. He overpowered Bennedict Mathurin, outmaneuvered Andrew Nembhard, and outplayed Aaron Nesmith. He took the shot when it was there, and found the better option when it wasn’t, distributing eight assists to six different teammates.

“When your star player trusts you to make plays, it boosts your confidence,” Jalen Williams noted. “He’s really grown into that role, making our team stronger.”

Gilgeous-Alexander received considerable support, notably from Caruso. His integration into the team has been seamless, especially highlighted by his defensive capabilities which were pivotal in the Western Conference playoffs. In Game 2, he also contributed offensively, scoring 20 points and sinking four of his eight three-point attempts.

Chet Holmgren also stepped up in Game 2 after a disappointing Game 1 where he only scored six points. He improved significantly, scoring 15 points on 6 of 11 shooting. The Thunder initially started small, keeping Cason Wallace in the starting lineup over Isaiah Hartenstein, but coach Mark Daigneault wisely reverted to a two-big lineup early on, helping turn a rebounding defeat in Game 1 (56–39) into a victory in Game 2 (43–35).

Daigneault made another strategic move by giving Aaron Wiggins extensive first-half minutes. Wiggins has been a consistent part of the Thunder’s rotation throughout the postseason, playing 12 to 15 minutes per series during the conference playoffs. He scored 21 points in a Game 1 victory over Memphis and contributed 11 in a crucial Game 4 win in Denver. However, he played only nine minutes on Thursday, scoring three points. His playing time increased to 21 minutes on Sunday, during which he scored 18 points.

“He deserves a lot of credit for being a key part of our success this season and throughout the playoffs, even as his role varied from night to night,” Daigneault said. “His professionalism, readiness, and confidence were crucial tonight. He delivered a huge performance for us under those circumstances.”

Like Thunder general manager Sam Presti, Daigneault values a wealth of information—film, statistics, anecdotes, and more. He had ample information on the teams Oklahoma City faced in the conference playoffs. However, he had very little on Indiana. “The Pacers are an acquired taste,” Daigneault noted. “They are a conceptual team, and you need to employ a conceptual defense against them.”

“They are a unique team,” Daigneault added. “They are not generic; they play a distinctive style that contributes to their effectiveness on both ends of the floor. It would be an oversimplification to say that just one thing looked better tonight. I think we just performed a little better in many different areas.”

Now it is Indiana’s turn to respond. They leave Oklahoma with a split and home court advantage, but they know they were lucky to win Game 1 and must avoid the pitfalls they encountered in Game 2. The Thunder have forced them into becoming a jump-shooting team. They made enough shots to win Game 1, but they will need to do more to win the series.

“We need to find ways to penetrate their defense,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle stated. “There are many factors that need to align perfectly to get the ball into the core of their defense. You need a defensive stop, a rebound, and to advance the ball up the court without turning it over. Then, you must manage to drive the ball into the lane and to the rim. It’s a challenging task. We had some good moments attacking the paint, but they weren’t consistent enough.”

Haliburton added, “It feels like there are five defenders around you every time you enter the paint. We recognize that penetrating the paint is crucial for us; it’s where we find our rhythm. The more we can drive into the paint, the better things usually turn out. It’s all about creating opportunities for threes in our favor. Just moving the ball around and taking late shot clock threes makes it really hard.”

Indiana will likely perform better at home, as typically, role players excel in their own arena. But Oklahoma City’s demonstration on Sunday, which highlighted why they won 68 games and were favored entering this series, showcased their formidable capabilities. The Pacers will need to bring something extraordinary to the table, because the Thunder have truly arrived.

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