SGA’s Game 2 takeover
- Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander poured in 37 points to lift the Thunder to a Game 2 win and a 2–0 series lead over the Suns. (x.com) - He shot 13/25 from the field, went 9/9 from the free‑throw line, and also had 9 assists and 5 rebounds. (x.com) - Media and highlights flagged the game as a defining second‑game performance, with Chet Holmgren adding 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. ( )
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gave Oklahoma City the control point it wanted in Game 2: 37 points in a 120-107 win over Phoenix, and a 2-0 series lead. (espn.com) He shot 13-for-25 from the field, hit all nine free throws, and finished with nine assists and five rebounds in 38 minutes on April 22. (espn.com) (cbssports.com) Chet Holmgren added 19 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, and Jalen Williams scored 19 before leaving with an apparent left hamstring injury. (nba.com) (usatoday.com) Phoenix was far more competitive than it was in Game 1, trailing 65-57 at halftime after shooting 6-for-14 from 3-point range in the first half. Oklahoma City broke the game open in the third quarter and led 100-77 entering the fourth. (hawaiitribune-herald.com) (espn.com) That split-screen is the point of this series so far. Phoenix has had stretches where Dillon Brooks, who scored 30 in Game 2, can push the game into a fight, but Oklahoma City has had the best player in both home games and the deeper lineup around him. (espn.com) (azcentral.com) The Thunder also entered this matchup from a different place than most No. 1 seeds. They are the defending NBA champions, finished 64-18, and opened this first-round series against a Phoenix team that came through the Play-In Tournament as the West’s No. 8 seed. (espn.com) (nba.com) (cbssports.com) Gilgeous-Alexander’s Game 2 also landed right after a quieter opener by his standards. He scored 25 points in the series opener on Sunday, April 19, but shot 5-for-18; in the rematch three days later, he got back to his usual efficiency and volume. (usnews.com) (nba.com) That matters in a matchup where Phoenix’s path is narrow. The Suns went 45-37 in the regular season, took the last Western Conference playoff spot through the Play-In, and now head home needing to flip a series that resumes Saturday, April 25, in Phoenix. (espn.com) (nba.com) For two games, Oklahoma City has looked like a team trying to end the series early. For two games, Gilgeous-Alexander has been the reason Phoenix has not found a clean answer. (espn.com) (sports.yahoo.com)
