Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives in a game against the Pacers on Oct. 23, 2025. Adam Hagy / NBAE via Getty Images
INDIANAPOLIS — The fans rained down boos at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night. They were disgusted with what they were witnessing or rather, who they were witnessing. The scars are still fresh in Indiana, four months removed from losing to Oklahoma City in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gave the fan base fresh wounds.
In the Pacers’ first game of the 2025-26 campaign, SGA scored a career-high 55 points to lift the Thunder to 141-135 double-overtime victory, which is already their second double-OT win of the season. Gilgeous-Alexander’s herculean effort marked the fifth 50-point game of his career as the Jalen Williams-less Thunder escaped the shorthanded but feisty Pacers.
SGA HAS 51 POINTS FOR OKC 🤯🚨
OKC HAS A 4-POINT LEAD IN 2OT! pic.twitter.com/cmYV8plOEG
— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2025
Already without star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who will miss the entire season due to a torn right Achilles he sustained in Game 7 of the Finals, the Pacers lost this year’s starting point guard Andrew Nembhard to a left shoulder injury he sustained in the first half. Nembhard did not play in the second half, but star forward Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin helped push OKC to the brink with 32 points and 36 points, respectively.
Siakam drilled a pull-up jumper with 6.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 113 and force overtime, but SGA would not be denied. The reigning Finals MVP scored 15 points in the extra periods, including nine in the second overtime to spoil the Pacers’ season opener.
This story will be updated.
Oct 24, 2025
Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today’s puzzle