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As the Oklahoma City Thunder are down 2-1 in the NBA Finals to the Indiana Pacers, they desperately need to win Game 4 on Friday to tie up the series and prevent a deep deficit. While the Thunder will have to neutralize the Pacers' home-court advantage down 2-1, there is a matchup that is predicted to dictate Game 4, as revealed by ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
Windhorst would be asked about “NBA Today” about the specific aspect that could decide the game, and he wouldn't hesitate to mention the face-off between Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Indiana's Andrew Nembhard. He focuses more on how well Nembhard has defended the MVP of the league, as the fellow Canadiens will once again go head-to-head.
“I do, it's the Canadiens. Andrew Nembhard and SGA. This has been an unexpected war between these guys. Look, SGA's numbers are really good, but SGA's standard is very high. Nembhard has given him some problems. First off, he's seven of 20 shooting is exactly in that moment, but Nembhard as a primary defender, seven of 20, that's 35%, that is not how Shai rolls.”
“Shai has averaged over 30 points and shot over 50% for the last three years,” Windhorst continued. “And the thing about this guy is, it is that I will take away from his first three games, two different times. Mr. Even-keeled himself, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has shoved or elbowed. He's gotten into him a little bit, up here, [he's] impenetrable usually.”
“It's the Canadians. … Andrew Nembhard and SGA.”@windhorstespn details which matchup has the potential to dictate the NBA Finals series ✍️ pic.twitter.com/HRrHEULsHU
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 13, 2025
Is Thunder's Shai-Gilgeous Alexander ‘agitated' by Andrew Nembhard?
The matchup between the Thunder's Gilgeous-Alexander and Pacers' Nembhard has been an aspect that has taken a lot of the basketball world aback. To the point where even a question was asked about a media member after Indiana's impressive 116-107 victory in Game 3, where someone pointed out that the MVP was “emotionally agitated.”
“You seem a little more emotionally agitated in this series by [Andrew] Nembhard than anybody else you've played against this year,” the reporter said. “Is he doing anything extra to get under your skin?”
“I don't know what you're talking about. I don't feel emotionally agitated at all, so I don't know what's going on,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
“You seem a little more emotionally agitated in this series by [Andrew] Nembhard… Is he doing anything extra to get under your skin?”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “I don't know what you're talking about. I don't feel emotionally agitated at all.” 👀pic.twitter.com/Fg3uCWhdYG
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 12, 2025
At any rate, it will be a goal for Gilgeous-Alexander to get by the toughness of Nembhard's defense and put up a performance to his standard, which is what Oklahoma City needs. The No. 1 seed in the Western Confefence, led by Gilgeous-Alexander, looks to take Game 4 of the NBA Finals, as heading back home with momentum could decide the entire series.
