Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would’ve wanted to prove his mettle on his NBA Finals debut. And the Oklahoma star just did that. In Game 1 vs the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, the current league MVP delivered a performance that left fans and experts stunned, drawing striking comparisons to the late Kobe Bryant.
Despite the Thunder’s heartbreaking loss to the Indiana Pacers, sealed by Tyrese Haliburton’s last-second shot, SGA’s 38-point, 3-assist, 5-rebound masterpiece showcased a cold-blooded style reminiscent of the Black Mamba.
Fans and analysts, including three-time NBA champion Danny Green, are buzzing about SGA’s Mamba-like craft.
SGA’s NBA Finals debut bring Kobe Bryant references
SGA set the tone early, dropping 19 points in the first half on 8/12 shooting, including 3/5 from three. His mid-range pull-ups and floaters, executed with surgical precision, kept OKC ahead by as many as 15 points.
Despite Indiana’s comeback, SGA’s 11 points in the fourth, including a clutch step-back jumper with 1:32 left, nearly sealed the game.
On a recent Inside the NBA segment, Green, who won titles alongside Kobe’s Lakers, lauded SGA’s mid-range game and footwork, saying, “He reminds me of Kobe. He still does a lot in the mid-range and a lot of fundamental.”
SGA’s Finals debut, at age 26, evokes Kobe’s 1997 breakout, when he emerged as a star.
One fan on X, platform formerly known as Twitter, wrote: “A Kobe ‘detail’ episode on Shai would be so cold”
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points. Obi Toppin scored 17, Myles Turner had 15, and Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each had 14.
Jalen Williams had 17 and Lu Dort scored 15 for Oklahoma City, which was 36-1 at home with 15-point leads this season.
Game 2 is at Oklahoma City on Sunday night.
