Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now has 9 straight home games with 30+ PTS this postseason.
That’s the longest streak in a single playoff run in NBA history.🤯
Also he becomes the 8th player ever with back-to-back 30-point games to start their Finals career.🔥⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander etches his name in NBA history with historic playoff mastercla
Oklahoma City, June 9, 2025 – In what’s rapidly becoming one of the most defining postseason performances of recent memory, Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander and the Thunder roared back in Sunday’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals, defeating the Indiana Pacers 123–107 to even the series at 1–1. But behind the scoreboard, it’s SGA’s historic milestones that have captured the spotligh
🔥 Nine straight home playoff games scoring 30+ poin
What began as a testament to his brilliance in the Western Conference has evolved into a record-shattering feat. With 34 points in Game 2, Gilgeous‑Alexander now holds the NBA record for the longest streak of nine consecutive home playoff games with at least 30 points, surpassing anything seen in a single postseason run
Stretching back through the first two rounds and Conference Finals, SGA’s dominance at home has been breathtaking. Whether it was the round-of-16, semifinals, or Sundays on the big stage in OKC, his consistency has raised the bar—and the Thunder’s championship hope
🎯 Record-setting Finals debut: 72 points in two gam
Sunday’s 34-point outing also pushed his first two Finals performances to a staggering 72 total points, shattering Allen Iverson’s previous record of 71 in his initial two Finals games (2001) . That achievement places him as the all-time leader for points in a Finals debut series—an elite company featuring the likes of Jordan, LeBron, and Iverson himsel
His 38-point debut in Game 1 was vintage SGA: fearless, high-volume scoring, relentless in attack. Game 2 elevated the performance—an efficient masterpiece with 11-of-21 shooting and 11-for-12 from the line—a showcase of his championship maturity
🔁 One of just eight players to go 30+ in first two Finals gam
Gilgeous‑Alexander also achieved another rare feat: back-to-back 30-point games to begin his Finals career. Not since legends seized the moment on the sport’s biggest stage have we seen this — he is just the eighth player ever to commence their Finals journey with consecutive 30-point performances
These streaks speak volumes about his psyche. Faced with the fiercest stage of all, SGA didn’t just perform, he announced himsel
Game 2 Breakdown: Efficiency meets dominan
Controlled scori
In Game 2, SGA logged 34 points on efficient 11/21 shooting, complemented by 11-of-12 from the line, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and a block . That statline reads as a player in full command of his own game and the entire contes
Coach Rick Carlisle spoke on it postgame: “You can mark down 34 points before they even get on the plane tomorrow,” underlining the inevitability of his offensive dominance
Command of the paint and midran
SGA wasn’t merely scoring—he controlled the pace and space of the game. His 14 points in the paint and several more in midrange isolation zones forced Indiana’s defense to collapse. With high pick-and-rolls and effective ball screen management, he sliced through the Pacers’ schemes all night
Bench boost & team effo
His teammates were lights-out too: Alex Caruso (20 points), Aaron Wiggins (18), Jalen Williams (19), and Chet Holmgren (15) helped score 48 bench points, keeping crowd noise at bay and giving SGA breathing room
Playoff context: A season-long scoring hu
This heroics aren’t an outlier in Shai’s remarkable season. His playoff averages show an unstoppable machine: over 30.2 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.6 RPG . He led the league in regular-season scoring at 32.7 PPG on 51.9% shooting
Throughout the Western Conference Finals, his scoring streak continued: four straight 30+ point games in Round 1, followed by back-to-back 38-point games in Round 2, then a career-high 40 in Game 4 against Minnesota—all of which helped clinch Oklahoma City’s berth in the Finals
Underscoring the significance: he matched LeBron and Jordan as one of only three players in NBA history to record ten or more games with 30+ points & 5+ assists in a single playoff run—and he did it this season
SGA’s mindset: Records don’t define goa
Despite the plaudits, SGA is laser-focused on the ultimate goal. After Game 2, he defended his record as a team-first championbir
> “I would trade the points for 2 W’s, for sure… You can’t go back in the past, you can only try to make the future better.”
That mentality guided his MVP-winning campaign and now fuels his playoff excelle
Historical lens: How this stacks up with legen
Record home streak: nine consecutive 30+ games at home—unmatched in NBA playoff history
Finals debut domination: 72 points in initial two Finals games eclipses Allen Iverson’s 71 in 2001
Rarity of 30+ starts: joins seven predecessors who’ve started their Finals career with back-to-back 30-point games
All-time playoff scoring consistency: One of only three to hit 10+ games with 30+ points and 5+ assists in a single postseason
One of the most similar chapters: LeBron James, though his historic playoff Game 7 bursts are rare and situational . In contrast, SGA’s excellence is steady, sustained over his entire r
Eyes on Game 3: Pacers at home, pressure buil
Now heading to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Wednesday, the Pacers will try to turn their home court into a fortress and slow the Thunder’s rhythm. Through the first two Finals games, OKC has led a cumulative 91 minutes and 22 seconds of play, while Indiana has led merely 1:53
If Indiana wants to stop SGA, their defense must disrupt him early, taking him out of rhythm and forcing others to step u
Why it matte
Franchise firsts: OKC hasn’t seen this high of playoff scoring firepower since Kevin Durant–Russ era—SGA is carving his legacy right before their eye
Cultural impact: A young Thunder team, built around defense, bench depth, and youthful star power, is rewriting expectations—and captivating a natio
MVP crown aspirations: The Finals MVP often comes down to pure performance in the big moments. SGA is demonstrating he belongs in that conversatio
Basketball psychology: What’s hardest? Not the bursts—it’s the consistency under pressure, night after night. SGA isn’t just a scorer; he’s a model of relentless excellenc
Final wor
As SGA continues his home-court run, smashing streaks and rewriting Finals debut records, two realities emerg
1. One player can indeed elevate an entire franchise—not just with stats, but with context, leadership, clutch performanc
2. Records are milestones, not endpoints—Gilgeous‑Alexander isn’t content with changing history; he’s focused on shaping this moment, and driving his team to a championsh
Come Wednesday, all eyes will be on Indianapolis. Can the Pacers contain him? Or will another chapter of SGA history be writ
📈 Game Schedule & No
Game 3: Wednesday, June 11, Indianapolis — Tip at 8:30 PM E
Both squads will stake their claim as favorites—and history bets big on SGA
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—e.n.n.s.rs—p. .ds—un. . . . .ds—nce. d:ls— . . .nt— .rt .ge .t.ngce—f. .es .f.ess. .tst.ss—lis — Tip at 8:30 PM ET.
Both squads will stake their claim as favorites—and history bets big on SGA.
