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Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes full Allen Iverson in NBA Finals debut
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- Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes full Allen Iverson in NBA Finals debut
The post Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes full Allen Iverson in NBA Finals debut appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander channeled Allen Iverson in his NBA Finals debut during Game 1 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
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In 40 minutes of action, Gilgeous-Alexander was dominant to begin his time on the biggest NBA stage. He finished with 38 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. He shot 14-of-30 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.
As a result, he joined Iverson when it comes to scoring a lot of points , per StatMuse. Iverson scored 48 points in his Finals debut, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals.
What's next for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 's remarkable efforts, the Thunder were unable to hold onto their lead as they lost 111-110 to the Pacers in Game 1.
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The Thunder controlled the momentum throughout most of the game, responding to the Pacers' runs with timely shots. However, their luck ran out when Tyrese Haliburton made a game-winning 2-pointer with 0.3 seconds left on the game clock. That proved to be fatal as Oklahoma City now trails 1-0 in the series.
What makes the loss sting even more was how active Oklahoma City was on the defensive side of the ball. They forced Indiana to commit 24 turnovers but only scored 11 points off them. The inability to take advantage of their opponents' mistakes was costly for the hosts as they temporarily lose homecourt advantage.
Four players scored in double-digits on Oklahoma City's behalf, including Gilgeous-Alexander. Jalen Williams had 17 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a steal. He shot 6-of-19 overall, including 1-of-4 from downtown. Luguentz Dort came next with 15 points and four steals, while Alex Caruso provided 11 points, six rebounds and three steals.
The Thunder will look to bounce back when they host the Pacers in Game 2. The contest will take place on June 8 at 8 p.m. ET.
Related: Caitlin Clark's Nike Kobe 5s spotted on Thunder's Alex Caruso during NBA Finals
Related: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts to Tyrese Haliburton's shot that broke OKC
