Gilgeous-Alexander saves Thunder in the NBA Finals
Oklahoma City defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 to even the series. The Canadian point guard had a star performance.
The Thunder's Gilgeous-Alexander advances in front of an opponent
(AFP) Rescued by their star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off a crucial 111-104 win against the Indiana Pacers on Friday to tie the NBA Finals at 2-2.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the season's Most Valuable Player (MVP), scored 15 of his 35 points in the final five minutes of the game to turn around a game the Pacers led by 10 points in the third quarter.
To the frustration of Pacers fans, Tyrese Haliburton (18 points and 7 assists) and Pascal Siakam (20 points and 8 rebounds) did not finish off a win that would have put them just one game away from their first-ever title.
Had they found themselves down 3-1, the Thunder would have needed a comeback that only one team managed in Finals history, LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
Gilgeous-Alexander spared Oklahoma City, the best team in the regular season, on a strange night in which they only shook off ferocious defensive pressure down the stretch.
"When we woke up this morning we knew that 3-1 against is a lot different than coming home at 2-2," the point guard stressed. "We played with desperation at the end of the game and that's why we won. We have to keep that same desperation in the following games."
"This is a dogfight," summed up SGA about the battle against a Pacers. Indiana started as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and has already eliminated top contenders like the Knicks and Cavaliers in the Playoffs.
The Canadian, who is averaging 32.8 points in the first Finals of his career, was helped this time by forward Jalen Williams, with 27 points, and reserve guard Alex Caruso, who scored 20 and set the defensive tone with 5 steals.
"It's frustrating, of course," Haliburton acknowledged. "You always want to win a game you're winning towards the end, especially at home, but today it wasn't like that. We have to see where we can improve and get ready for Game 5."
The next game of these thrilling best-of-seven Finals will be played Monday on the home court of the Thunder, who are suffering much more than expected in a series they started as undisputed favorites.
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