Shai Gilgeous-Alexander explodes for 55 as Thunder outlast Pacers in double OT — MVP keeps title defense on track
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put an early stamp on the new season with a career-high 55 points in a double-overtime classic, lifting Oklahoma City past Indiana 141–135 on Friday, October 24. The performance arrived in a Finals rematch and underscored why the reigning MVP and Finals MVP remains the league’s most composed late-game closer. Two games in, the Thunder have opened their title defense with back-to-back double-OT wins, and Gilgeous-Alexander has looked every bit as sharp as the player who carried them to a championship last June.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 55-point night: how he did it
The scoring burst was a masterclass in patience and precision. Gilgeous-Alexander shot efficiently from the field, lived at the line, and controlled tempo in the extended minutes, finishing 23-of-26 on free throws. He punctuated the result with late makes and steady ball security as the game tilted on whistles and fatigue. Oklahoma City also got a crucial lift from its bench, with a breakout 26 from Ajay Mitchell during the overtime swings, but every decisive possession orbited the Thunder’s All-NBA catalyst.
On the other side, Indiana counterpunched behind big nights from Benedict Mathurin and Pascal Siakam. Foul trouble in the second overtime blunted the Pacers’ late push, and the Thunder seized the margin through clock management and Gilgeous-Alexander’s poised decision-making.
What the 55 means for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC
For the player: 55 sets a new personal best, surpassing his 54-point mark from January. It also becomes his fifth career 50-plus game and an early data point reinforcing his candidacy to repeat as MVP. The free-throw volume and late-game control mirror last season’s formula—draw contact, punish switches, and close without turnovers.
For the team: Oklahoma City showed the layered scoring and resilience that powered its 2025 breakthrough. The Thunder have already survived 104 minutes of high-leverage basketball in two games, banking wins while the rotation is still settling. That matters in a Western Conference where seeding can swing on a handful of results.
Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is so hard to solve
Defenses know what’s coming—hesitations, stride-stops, mid-range touch, and relentless rim pressure—yet he keeps finding angles. Three traits keep him unsolvable:
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Footwork and pacing: Changes of speed force bigs to open their hips and guards to overcommit.
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Contact balance: He finishes through bumps and turns fouls into free points, sustaining efficiency even when the jumper cools.
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Late-game clarity: Reads traps without rushing, trusts outlets, and re-seats the offense to get the exact mismatch he wants.
Add a wingspan that bothers jump shooters and passing lanes, and you get a two-way engine who tilts games without needing a barrage of threes.
The evolving narrative around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The individual accolades arrived in waves last season—scoring title, MVP, then Finals MVP—and the conversation has shifted from “breakout star” to “era-defining lead guard.” Off the court, his style presence continues to broaden his profile, but on the court the identity is unchanging: methodical advantage creation, narrow handle, and a mid-range comfort zone many modern guards have abandoned. Nights like this one reinforce that his efficiency travels into playoff-style, half-court basketball.
Thunder checklist after the Pacers win
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Clutch reps banked: Two early double-OT marathons provide film for late-game sets and substitution patterns.
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Bench emergence: Mitchell’s scoring carries rotational implications; OKC can steal rest pockets for starters.
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Foul discipline: Opponents have racked up whistles in high-pressure moments; the Thunder are winning the free-throw math.
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Turnover control: In extended minutes, the ball stayed with the stars and out of risky cross-court traffic.
What’s next for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder
The schedule tightens with early back-to-backs and travel pockets that will test legs after the double-overtime load. Expect the staff to manage minutes while preserving Gilgeous-Alexander’s end-game bursts. The broader objective is unchanged: secure a top seed, develop a ninth and tenth man who can survive playoff minutes, and keep the clutch offense crisp.
If opening week is any guide, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has carried last season’s form into October without a hitch. The 55-point statement doesn’t just headline a box score—it reaffirms a hierarchy. Until further notice, the MVP still has the ball and the blueprint, and Oklahoma City still has the closer everyone else is scheming for.
