Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made history in his first two NBA Finals games as he eclipsed Allen Iverson’s record after tallying 72 points through Games 1 and 2. Iverson held the record for 24 years, scoring 71 points in the first two games of the 2001 NBA Finals, where they lost against the LA Lakers.
However, Gilgeous-Alexander is not dwelling on his historic performances in this series, as he expressed that he would have to win the first two games instead of clinching the record.
“I would trade the points for two Ws for sure,” he said after Game 2.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 34 points on 11-of-21 shooting to lead the Thunder to a bounce-back win over the Indiana Pacers, 123-107, on Sunday. The Thunder superstar controlled the tempo, also putting up five rebounds, eight assists, and four steals.
In Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander had 38 points in a loss after Tyrese Haliburton drained a tough jumper in the final second to steal the series opener for the Pacers.
Just like Iverson in 2001, SGA is playing in his first NBA Finals ever after winning the MVP in the regular season with averages of 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to carry the cudgels once again for the Thunder the rest of the series as it shifts to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wants Thunder to stay focused after Game 2 win
After snagging their first win in the series, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wants to keep their eyes on the prize following an impressive Game 2 win on their home floor.
“We have to stay focused on the task at hand. We have to lock in and stay focused,” he said. “To make it this far in the season, it’s going to take a great level of focus to reach the ultimate goal.”
The Thunder is gunning for its first NBA championship since the franchise moved from Seattle to OKC in 2008. This year’s finals are also the first for the team since 2012, when they still had MVPs Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and James Harden on their roster.
The Thunder was the best team in the league during the regular season, winning 68 games. They then swept their first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, defeated the Denver Nuggets in seven games, and took down the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals.
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