OKC Analyst Warns Pacers Locker Room About Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Key Quality After Rick Carlisle’s Admission

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is doing that thing again. You know, the thing where he casually drops 30+ points like it’s his pregame warmup, hands out dimes like a Vegas dealer, and plays defense like prime Gary Payton in Jordans. After Game 2 of the NBA Finals, the Pacers are officially on “SGA Watch” — and not the kind that ends well for opposing teams.

While Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is trying to figure out how to slow down the MVP, Thunder analyst Michael Cage might’ve already issued the best warning possible: “If you let him score, he’ll score 70. He’ll kill you.” And no, that’s not metaphorical. That’s Cage telling the Pacers to guard SGA like their season depends on it — because it probably does.

Thunder TV analyst Michael Cage, who once led the NBA in rebounding (back when shorts were short and big men never shot threes), gave Dan Patrick a little insight into what’s brewing in Oklahoma City. He’s been around since the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook era, saw the Chris Paul cameo, and even witnessed the Paul George and Carmelo Anthony experiment that fizzled out faster than a Knicks playoff run.

But when it comes to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? “Man, that dude is special, man,” Cage said. “This is my 11th year with the Thunder… what you saw last night is this team’s identity.” That’s right. He has been dissecting their numbers since 2014.

Feb 8, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) reacts during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Cage emphasized that OKC is no one-man band — they’ve got bench guys like Aaron Wiggins dropping 18 and Alex Caruso giving them a vintage baldy-guard game with 20. But everything — everything — flows through SGA. “You can pick on SGA and say, ‘We’re going to try to stop him,’ or ‘We’re going to let him score.’ If you let him score, he’ll score 70,” Cage warned. “He’s not afraid of the moment.”

Game 1 & 2: SGA Goes Full NBA Jam

Game 1? 38 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 block. He was literally everywhere. The Thunder had a 15-point lead before Tyrese Haliburton hit the buzzer-beater of the century to steal it 111–110. The only reason it didn’t become Game 1 of “Thunder Implosion” was because SGA held it together like duct tape on a broken backboard. Game 2? The Thunder didn’t just bounce back, they body-slammed the Pacers 123–107 — and guess who led the charge?

Shai had 34 points, 8 assists, 5 boards, and 4 steals. He was more efficient than a Spurs playbook in the early 2000s: 11-of-21 FG and 11-of-12 from the line. “It was just wire-to-wire domination,” Coach Mark Daigneault said. “Kind of what he does.” Oh, and fun fact? His 72 points across his first two Finals games just broke Allen Iverson’s record. If SGA keeps this up, he might have to start braiding his hair in honor of AI. Let’s rewind a little.

During the regular season, Shai averaged 32.7 PPG, 51.9 FG%, 37.5% from three, and 89.8% FT. He joined Michael Jordan as the only player in NBA history to average 30+ points while also shooting 50/5/5/1.5/1 splits. That’s not a stat line — that’s a cheat code.

He dropped 45 points twice during the regular season, led the Thunder to a franchise-best 15-game win streak, and got OKC the No. 1 seed. And he didn’t just do this with flash — it was fundamentals, angles, footwork, IQ, and that deadly midrange jumper that hits cleaner than a Ray Allen three.

May 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) in the fourth quarter during game two of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

In the playoffs? He’s been averaging 30.4 PPG, 6.8 APG, 5.6 RPG, and nearly 2 steals a game. And the guy barely turns the ball over. Coach Carlisle didn’t sugarcoat it after Game 2: “As for Shai, you can mark down 34 points before they even get on the plane tomorrow… the guy’s going to score.” If that doesn’t sound like a coach who’s been spiritually defeated, we don’t know what does. The Pacers’ job isn’t to stop SGA — it’s to contain him without letting him dismantle their entire defense like a Jenga tower at a frat party. And right now, it’s not working.

Look — this man has scored 30+ in every home playoff game this year. That ties Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt. The man who once scored 100 in a game and probably did it wearing Converse.

SGA isn’t just putting up numbers — he’s setting the tone, raising OKC’s ceiling, and showing Gen Pop NBA fans what leadership looks like in 2025. He’s the MVP for a reason. You can’t sag off, you can’t go under screens, and if you foul him, good luck — he’s shooting almost 90% from the stripe.

If Indiana doesn’t figure something out fast, they’ll be spending more time watching Shai film sessions than actually planning their own offensive sets.

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