SGA's career-high 55 leads Thunder past Pacers in grueling Finals rematch

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 55 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder claimed a 141-135 double-overtime victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday.

The meeting was the first between the two sides since they squared off in the Finals in June.

Gilgeous-Alexander outdid his previous career-best of 54 points, which he set earlier this year in January in a win over the Utah Jazz.

"He is thinking constantly about how he can get better," Oklahoma City's head coach Mark Daigneault said postgame, according to team reporter Nick Gallo. "He's constantly self reflecting. He's constantly self critical. ... That mindset speaks to a level of humility that you need in competition."

It was a second straight marathon victory for Oklahoma City, which also needed two overtime frames to topple the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. No team in NBA history had ever started its season with back-to-back double-overtime contests.

The matchup didn't come without some late controversy, however. Following a layup by Obi Toppin with 22.5 seconds left that cut the Thunder's lead to four, the Pacers forward appeared to make a clean steal on Chet Holmgren's inbound pass under the basket. But officials ruled that Daigneault called a timeout just in time, allowing the defending champions to retain possession.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle opted not to express his frustration with the play in his postgame comments.

"I'm not talking about the refs," Carlisle said, according to Tony East of AllPacers. "If I talk about the refs, I'll be fined an exorbitant amount of money."

Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 36 points in the Pacers' first game of the new season. He also grabbed 11 rebounds before fouling out less than a minute into the second overtime period. Pascal Siakam added 32 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and a steal.

Indiana is awaiting an update on starting guard Andrew Nembhard. Carlisle said postgame that the 25-year-old will undergo testing after sustaining a left shoulder injury that limited him to the first half. The Pacers are already without Nembhard's usual backcourt partner, Tyrese Haliburton, who's still recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered in Game 7 of the Finals.

"This is gonna potentially present some big challenges," Carlisle said, according to The Athletic's James Boyd.

Gilgeous-Alexander made 15-of-31 shots from the floor. Twenty-three of his 55 points came at the free-throw line, as the teams combined for 91 attempts at the charity stripe. The stoppages may have helped the reigning MVP, who needed a breather with a minute left in the second overtime.

Gilgeous-Alexander will have Friday off before facing the Hawks on Saturday in Atlanta. The Pacers will visit the Memphis Grizzlies the same evening.