Shai Gilgeous-Alexander produced a brilliant performance to help in Game 7 to help the Oklahoma City Thunder win NBA championship after beating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 on Monday, June 23. The point guard finished the game with 40 points. It’s the first championship for the team since it relocated from Seattle in 2008, having won one title as the SuperSonics in 1979.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was also name dthe NBA Finals MVP while also becoming the fourth player to win scoring title and finals MVP in the same season.
OKC went on to win the title, having won 68 games in this year's regular season, which is being considered amongst the best of all time. The Pacers played the majority of the game without their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, who ended the game with an injury in the first half.
Haliburton fell to the floor in the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder and pounded the court in immediate in pain. couldn't walk and eventually needed to be helped off the floor to the Pacers' locker room.
Haliburton's injury update and impact on Pacers
ESPN report later confirmed that Haliburton's father John said that the injury is to Achilles tendon which will sideline him for long time .The point guard had initially sustained a calf strain early in Game 5 but eventually finished the game. Despite struggling with injury, he played Game 6 scoring 14 points and five assists in 23 minutes to help Indiana stay in title race and force Game 7. However the injury in the final was a mjor setback
Haliburton has been the heart of the Pacers' run through the playoffs into the Finals He's averaged 17.7 points, 9 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals throughout the postseason while shooting 46.1% from the field and 32.9% from 3-point distance.
