Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. the Indiana Pacers wasn’t just a basketball game — it was a free-throw audition and guess what, fans are having a field day!
It’s funny how Shai’s 55-point career game against Indiana couldn’t grab the headlines but rather his free throw stats.
After defeating Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets in their opening game of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder got the better of the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.
The game was a rematch of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Pacers. However, Indiana missed their star guard Tyrese Haliburton as OKC clinched the victory by 141-135 in 2OT.
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proved his dominance and is making a strong case for a back-to-back MVP race. SGA scored a career-high 55 points on 48.4% shooting from the field in 45 minutes. He also registered eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. However, his 23-of-26 from the free-throw line sparked plenty of conversations.
The 2024-25 season was a dream season for Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder guard helped the franchise win their first-ever NBA championship and won the MVP, Finals MVP, and Scoring Champion honors. However, the fans seemed to be fixated on his free-throw numbers.
With his 55-point game against the Pacers, SGA is now averaging 45 points per game after OKC’s opening two games this season.
Trust fans to overlook a record and focus all energies on what’s not so relevant.
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