Mark Daigneault sang his praises toward Shai Gilgeous-Alexander following the Oklahoma City Thunder's double overtime win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
Going into the game, the Thunder began their quest for a repeat, having won the NBA championship last season. A repeat would allow them to garner recognition as a potential dynasty in the making, presenting them as a formidable opponent for the foreseeable future.
Gilgeous-Alexander will be at the center of that, having secured NBA Finals MVP with his efforts. He didn't miss a single step in the opener, finishing with 55 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. He shot 15-of-31 from the field, including 2-of-7 from beyond the arc, and 23-of-26 from the free-throw line.
Daigneault reflected on his star guard's performance after the game, per reporter Nick Gallo. Even though Gilgeous-Alexander reached a career high in scoring, the head coach focused on his ball security as he only turned the ball over twice in 45 minutes of action.
“One of the most efficient things about Shai is not just the scoring efficiency, but he doesn't turn the ball over very much. He's a great ball control player,” Daigneault said.
How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder played against Pacers
Mark Daigneault is right to point out other traits of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's skillset. This proved to be crucial in the Thunder escaping with the double-overtime win on the road against the Pacers.
It was a matchup to remember with it being a rematch of the NBA Finals, albeit with a few key players missing due to injury. The game more than made up for that as Mathurin shined in the opener with 36 points while combating Gilgeous-Alexander's 55-point outing.
Rebounding and free throws made the difference in this thrilling matchup. The Thunder prevailed by securing 60 rebounds while making 45 out of 51 shots at the line for an 88.2% clip. It was similar for the Pacers, but to a lesser extent. Indiana grabbed 55 rebounds but only managed to convert 30 of their 40 free throws throughout the night.
Four players scored in double-digits on Oklahoma City's behalf, including Gilgeous-Alexander. Ajay Mitchell had an excellent performance off the bench with 26 points, four assists, three rebounds, and a steal. He shot 9-of-19 overall and 8-of-8 from the charity stripe. Aaron Wiggins came next with 23 points and nine rebounds, Chet Holmgren had 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Luguentz Dort provided seven points and eight rebounds.
The Thunder will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They face the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
