"Far greater thunder than Kd and westbrook": NBA fans issue heartfelt reactions for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's historic 2025 run

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the OKC Thunder on Sunday to a 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The victory gave the Thunder their first NBA championship. SGA, named regular season MVP, capped off a spectacular campaign with the Larry O’Brien Trophy and the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award.

Fans promptly reacted to the superstar point guard’s historic run that ended with a championship:

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One fan said:

Another fan said:

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Another fan reacted:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the scoring title after averaging 32.7 points per game. He also earned the regular season MVP and the NBA Finals MVP. According to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, SGA became the first player since 2000 to have all three. The last time to accomplish such a feat was Shaquille O'Neal when he led the LA Lakers to the championship.

More than the individual accomplishments, SGA led the Thunder to the title. Before bagging the 2025 championship, OKC's best finish was runner-up in 2012. The Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden could not lead the team past the Miami Heat of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shook off a rough-shooting night to lead Thunder to Game 7 win

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a rough shooting night in Game 7 on Sunday. He scored 29 points behind 8-for-27 shooting, including 2-for-12 from deep. Although he did not have an efficient night, he remained aggressive and confident.

SGA continued to keep the Pacers' defense on its heels by repeatedly attacking the paint. He went 11-for-12 from the free-throw line to make up for his lethargic shooting.

Acknowleding his struggles, the NBA scoring champ took advantage of the Pacers' leech-like defense on him. He acted as decoy to set up his teammates. SGA's 12 assists were a career-high in the playoffs.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not have his shooting touch in Game 7 but he efficiently ran coach Mark Daigneault's offense. The superstar point commited just one turnover despite the attention the Pacers gave him on defense.

Editor's Note: This is a developing story that will be updated.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero