The Indiana Pacers were able to minimize Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a big way on Wednesday night, and that is one of the reasons why they walked away with a huge win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Writing on X, Magic Johnson dug into what the Pacers did well and what they need to do in the future.
“The Pacers full court pressure defense wore Shai Gilgeous-Alexander down and that’s a big reason why the NBA MVP wasn’t effective in the fourth quarter!” Johnson wrote.
The Pacers full court pressure defense wore Shai Gilgeous-Alexander down and that’s a big reason why the NBA MVP wasn’t effective in the fourth quarter!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 12, 2025
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points for the game but only posted three points in the final quarter.
It was during that last quarter when the Pacers really pressed him and didn’t allow him to score in his usual ways.
This was a great development for the Pacers, and a really alarming one for the Thunder.
One of the most dangerous things about Gilgeous-Alexander is his ability to slip by all kinds of defenses.
Because of his speed, his shooting, and his ability to draw fouls, he has so many ways that he can contribute.
But the Pacers figured out what they needed to do to stop him, and it was working.
What happens if they follow the same approach for all of Game 4?
The Pacers now hold a 2-1 lead, and the Thunder are desperate to even the series.
That will be very hard to do if Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t playing like the MVP he is.
The Pacers got the best of him on Wednesday night, but will they be able to do that again in Game 4?
