Starting 5: OKC goes up 2-0; Game 2 of East Finals awaits tonight

An MVP night for SGA and a 2-0 lead for OKC.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

May 23, 2025

SGA Shines: After raising the MVP trophy, Shai dropped 38 for an OKC dub

3rd Quarter Run: For the second straight time, OKC erupts after intermission

Tyrese Time: How Game 1 epitomized Tyrese Haliburton’s special Playoff run

NY Resolve: Knicks look to rebound from tough Game 1 loss at home

Kia NBA All-Defensive Team: See what the game’s top stoppers do best

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Here we go again…

Game 2 At The Garden: After an instant classic in Game 1, Game 2 of the East Finals tips off tonight as Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers look to go up 2-0 against Jalen Brunson and the Knicks (8 ET, TNT).

1. THUNDER TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD ON SGA’S MVP NIGHT

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On Wednesday, SGA added three more letters to his name – MVP.

On Thursday, he showed why.

Thunder 118, Wolves 103: In a two-way clinic, Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a game-high 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting, while leading all players in both assists (8) and steals (3) to power OKC past Minnesota for a 2-0 series lead. | Recap

• Shai Spark: With the game tied and 4:34 left in the 2nd quarter, it was SGA who swung the pendulum toward OKC, scoring its final 11 points – including a momentum-shifting 3 with 16 ticks left – to put his team up eight
• OKC Surge: The short burst brewed into another 3rd-quarter storm, as the Thunder outscored the Wolves 35-21 before slamming the door in the 4th
• Thunderclap: It was OKC’s 60th double-digit win this season (reg+post), a feat only matched by one other team in NBA history – the 2016-17 NBA champion Warriors

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MVP Motion: One of the most well-rounded scorers in the game, SGA’s approach is built on balance, poise and rhythm.

So on a night where he hoisted the Michael Jordan MVP Trophy to a standing ovation, it was fitting his performance mirrored his style: 19 points in the 1st half, 19 points in the 2nd – a perfectly balanced masterpiece from OKC’s steady centerpiece.

• 30-Piece Streak: It’s SGA’s fifth-straight 30+ point game – tying his own OKC Playoff record from last year – and his ninth this postseason, which leads all players
• Rare Air: He’s also just the sixth player in the last 40 years to tally 30+ pts and 8+ ast in back-to-back Conference Finals game
• His Company? LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, Luka Dončić and Russell Westbrook
• “It’s very impressive how fast he turned the page,” said Jalen Williams on SGA receiving the MVP Trophy. “How he’s able to push that aside and have a night like he did tonight … I think that keeps the rest of the team at ease.”
• “Great mental toughness, great consistency,” added Thunder coach Mark Daigneault on SGA. “His force and his mentality … he really stabilized the game for us.”

Stars Deliver: Williams also stuffed the stat sheet for OKC with 26 points, 10 boards and 5 dimes, while Chet Holmgren added 22 points to protect home court.

• Triple Threat: SGA, Williams and Holmgren are the first trio under 27 years old to each score 20+ in a Conference Finals game since 2021
• Lead Wolf: Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 32 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, surpassing Kevin Garnett (1,049) for the most career Playoff points in franchise history

What’s Next: With OKC holding a 2-0 lead, the series heads North to Minnesota, with Game 3 set for Saturday at 8:30 ET (ABC).

2. ANOTHER 3RD QUARTER RUN POWERS THUNDER PAST WOLVES

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In Game 1, the Thunder closed the 3rd quarter on a 20-6 run over the final 7:20 to turn a four-point deficit into a double-digit lead.

• Minnesota would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way as OKC pulled away for a 26-point win

In Game 2, the Thunder did it again, closing the 3rd quarter on a 23-7 burst over the final 4:48 to turn a six-point lead into a 22-point advantage.

• Minnesota would get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way as OKC pulled away for a 25-point win

Thursday’s run was near perfect basketball from a team that won a league-high 68 games and set the NBA record for average point differential this season. Here are the numbers:

• Thunder: 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, 3-of-3 on 3s, 4-of-5 on free throws, with 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block and no turnovers
• Timberwolves: 7 points on 1-of-6 shooting, 0-of-2 on 3s, 5-of-7 on free throws with 0 assists, 1 rebound and 5 turnovers
• OKC’s 23-7 burst included their 13th 10-0 run of the 2025 Playoffs, which is five more than any other conference finalist
• Must-See Sequences: Lu Dort with the steal leading to an SGA and-1 … Cason Wallace hits the 3 on one end, Shai gets a steal on the other to ignite a fast break capped by an alley-oop to a streaking Chet Holmgren

These runs epitomize the Thunder at their best – using their league-leading defense to force live-ball turnovers and converting them into easy baskets in transition.

• OKC Thieves: The Thunder averaged a league-best 10.3 steals during the regular season and have upped that mark to 10.7 per game in the Playoffs, including 11.0 in the West Finals
• Defense To Offense: OKC led the NBA in points off turnovers during the regular season (21.8 ppg), first round (26.3) and second round (23.9). Through two games of the West Finals, OKC is averaging 26.5 ppg off Minnesota turnovers
• All-Stars Leading The Way: SGA and Jalen Williams each rank top 10 in points off turnovers in the regular season (9.4 ppg combined) and Playoffs (10.1 ppg combined)
• Feeding Off Energy: OKC’s points off turnovers have spiked at home in both the regular season (+3.6 ppg) and Playoffs (+4.6) as the Thunder defense ignites the Paycom Center faithful

3. INSIDE HALIBURTON’S HISTORIC PLAYOFF RUN

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After OG Anunoby split a pair of free throws to put the Knicks up two with 7.3 seconds left in regulation, everybody knew where the ball was going next.

• The Pacers knew it
• The Knicks knew it
• The 19,812 fans inside Madison Square Garden knew it
• Anyone who’s paid attention to these 2025 NBA Playoffs knew it

Tyrese Haliburton brought the ball up, drove into the paint, had the ball poked away, recovered it and retreated toward the 3-point line to launch what turned out to be a buzzer-beating game-tying 2 with his toe on the line.

The play not only capped off another improbable Pacers’ comeback, it epitomized so much of what has made this postseason special for Haliburton and Indiana, which continues tonight with Game 2 of the East Finals at MSG (8 ET, TNT).

• Clutch: This season, Haliburton is shooting a ridiculous 12-of-14 (85.7%) on shots to either tie or take the lead in the final two minutes of the 4th quarter and OT. This postseason, he’s responsible for 42 clutch points by his scoring or assisting
• Balance: Haliburton knows exactly when it’s time for him to call his own shot and when it’s time to set up his teammates. In this era of the scoring point guard, Haliburton the scorer (Pacers are 9-1 this season when he scores 30+) and Haliburton the playmaker (Pacers are 6-0 when he adds 10+ assists) live in harmony
• Security: When Mikal Bridges poked the ball away from Haliburton on that final possession of the 4th quarter, it didn’t lead to a turnover. Instead, Haliburton recovered, looked at the clock on the other end to see how much time he had, and made his move

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In the Playoffs, Haliburton is averaging 18.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg and a league-leading 9.5 apg through 11 games.

• He’s one of 10 players to average at least 18-5-9 in a single postseason (min. 10 games), joining Magic (7x), Cousy (2x), Jokić, LeBron, Russ, Kidd, Frazier, Wilt and Oscar
• That group of 10 drops to one when adding the fact that Tyrese is doing this while averaging just 2.1 turnovers; Magic is the only other player to average under 3 turnovers per game, since they’ve been tracked starting in 1977-78
• “He’s a special talent, he’s a special person,” said Aaron Nesmith. “And he continues to amaze me every time.”

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Game 1 also showcased the resilience of Haliburton and this entire Pacers squad, who have shown throughout the Playoffs that they are never truly out of a game.

• Never Give Up: The Pacers are the first squad of the play-by-play era to overcome a 14+ point deficit in the final three minutes and have three wins this postseason when trailing by 7+ points in the final minute of regulation or OT
• “I would like to not keep being in this situation,” Haliburton said with a smirk. “But we’re just a group that has spent a lot of time with each other … we’ve been through everything together.”

4. KNICKS’ RESOLVE: NEW YORK LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK

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The question has rarely been whether the Knicks can respond during these Playoffs. More so, it’s a matter of how.

New York showed in the East Semis that it can solve late deficits. It’s also proved it can make winning adjustments between games.

• Breaking Boston: The group fell behind by 20+ points in both Games 1 and 2 in Boston. Each time, they fought their way back in the 4th to steal a pair of wins
• Been Here Before: Entering the East Finals, the Knicks are 4-0 in games following a loss, averaging 118.5 ppg on those occasions

“You just get back in the lab,” said Karl-Anthony Towns after Game 1. “We get into practice, watch some film and get ready for the next one. That’s the only way you bounce back.”

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Towns and Jalen Brunson initially put them on the path to victory with a pair of peak performances, assembling their third-most combined points in any game this season.

• Standing Alone: Brunson scored 43 – his seventh contest this postseason with 30 or more – to pass Bernard King for the most 40+ point Playoff games in franchise history
• KAT 🤝 Melo: Towns also made history. His 35-point, 12-rebound double-double was the first 30/10 Playoff showing by a Knick since Carmelo Anthony in 2011

The duo has steered the ship through 2024-25 in a way none ever have in the storied confines of Madison Square Garden.

• Big Apple Buckets: The All-Stars averaged 50.4 ppg as a pair during the regular season, topping the previous franchise all-time mark of 46.2 set by Walt Bellamy and Dick Barnett in 1965-66

“It’s the Playoffs. When you win, it’s the best thing ever. When you lose, it’s the worst thing ever,” Brunson said. “The best way to deal with all that is to just stay level-headed, making sure we have each other’s backs.”

5. THE SEASON’S BEST STOPPERS: 2024-25 KIA NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAMS

Every night in the NBA poses a new challenge defensively. It could be:

• Chasing around Steph Curry, who from anywhere, can turn an inch of breathing room into 3 points
• Staying in front of Anthony Edwards, who with one leap, can turn you into a highlight
• Containing the Joker, whose bottomless bag of tricks can leave you on the wrong side of history

In a league full of the world’s best shot-makers, highest flyers and playmaking anomalies, it takes a special talent to stop them.

Insert the 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Defensive Teams.

First Team:

Dyson Daniels, ATL (1x All-Defensive Selection): Daniels’ 444 deflections this season were 167 more than the next closest player. His 229 steals also led the league and were the most since Gary Payton’s 231 in 1995-96.

The gap between Daniels’ total steals and 2nd place (131) is bigger than the gap between 2nd and 259th.

Lu Dort, OKC (1x): Serving as the primary perimeter defender on OKC’s historic defense, the “Dorture Chamber” posted a 107.3 individual DefRtg this season – the 7th best mark among players logging 28+ mpg.

Draymond Green, GS (9x): Draymond’s fifth First Team honor and his ninth All-Defensive selection overall. This season, the 13-year vet tallied his most blocks (70) since 2018-19 and his most steals (99) since 2020-21.

But it’s what doesn’t show up on the stat sheet that makes him invaluable.

Evan Mobley, CLE (2x): There’s not much the 2024-25 Kia DPOY can’t do. Mobley spent over 25% of his defensive minutes on each of the three positions (guards, forwards and centers) and finished fifth in blocks (113).

Amen Thompson, HOU (1x): Among players who defended 500+ shots, nobody held opponents to a lower FG% than Thompson (40.7%).

His rapid ascent as a two-way standout mirrors his soaring vertical, as he finished second in blocks among all guards (89).

The All-Defensive Second Team features three first-time selections and two familiar faces.

• Toumani Camara, POR (1x): Led the NBA with 31 charges drawn
• Rudy Gobert, MIN (8x): The 4x DPOY held opponents to a 51.9 FG% at the rim this season, the best mark in the NBA (min. 400 DFGA)
• Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM (3x): The only player this season to record 100+ blocks (113) and 70+ steals (92)
• Jalen Williams, OKC (1x): Finished sixth in total points off turnovers (287) while recording the fourth-best DefRtg (106.5) among players logging 30+ mpg
• Ivica Zubac, LAC (1x): Led the NBA in defensive rebounds (710) and held opponents to just 39.6% on shots between 5-9 feet

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