SGA's winning FTs put bow on 35-point ring night

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The symbolism didn't onslaught Thunder defender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander successful the infinitesimal arsenic the timepiece ticked down successful the 2nd overtime of Tuesday night's play opener against the Houston Rockets.

His sole absorption was connected trying to fig retired a mode to people the winning points, not connected the information Kevin Durant was defending him. The superstar matchup successful the deciding moments of a thrilling play opener astir apt wasn't mislaid connected the Paycom Center sellout crowd, which spent the nighttime booing Durant and celebrating Gilgeous-Alexander and his Thunder teammates aft yet watching a title banner raised to the rafters.

"Just trying to get to a changeable I'm comfy shooting successful those moments," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "My encephalon is truthful successful the infinitesimal that each those things I don't adjacent realize."

Gilgeous-Alexander, alternatively of creating a cleanable look, got Durant to wound connected a pump fake and foul him. The reigning MVP sank some escaped throws with 2.3 seconds remaining, capping a 35-point show to assistance the defending champions to a 125-124 win. Gilgeous-Alexander besides spoiled Durant's debut with the Rockets, his 4th squad since his escaped bureau departure from the Thunder that is inactive a sore taxable successful Oklahoma City much than 9 years later.

Gilgeous-Alexander described the pregame ceremonial to observe past season's title arsenic "surreal." Durant and the Rockets retreated to the visitors' locker country arsenic the Thunder received their title rings -- featuring much than 800 custom-cut, hand-set diamonds and gemstones -- earlier raising the title banner alongside the halfway scoreboard.

"It felt similar it was going up for 10 minutes," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It was an astonishing moment. I'll retrieve it for the remainder of my life."

It took Gilgeous-Alexander astir of the crippled to find a bushed against the supersized Rockets' swarming, carnal defense, which prioritized forcing the shot retired of his hands arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable portion his All-NBA co-star, Jalen Williams, watched from the seat portion recovering from offseason wrist surgery.

Houston held Gilgeous-Alexander to 5 points successful the archetypal half, less than immoderate of his halftime totals from past season, erstwhile helium led the league with 32.7 points per game. Power forward/center Chet Holmgren scored 18 of his 28 points successful the archetypal fractional to support the Thunder wrong striking region contempt Gilgeous-Alexander's uncharacteristically quiescent start.

Gilgeous-Alexander managed to effort lone 5 shots from the level successful the archetypal 2 quarters, committing 3 turnovers and dishing retired lone 1 assistance contempt repeatedly passing retired of treble teams.

"He conscionable stays successful the game," Thunder manager Mark Daigneault said. "It wasn't a cleanable nighttime for him, but helium conscionable stays successful it. He understands the 48-minute nature. He understands the 82-game nature. It's not ever going to beryllium perfect. And contiguous wasn't cleanable for america collectively. And the guys conscionable benignant of played the adjacent play, ne'er mislaid our absorption oregon resolve."

It wasn't until the 4th fourth -- aft Oklahoma City trailed by arsenic galore arsenic 12 points -- that Gilgeous-Alexander recovered immoderate benignant of groove. He had 12 points successful that quarter, 1 much than helium had successful the archetypal 3 quarters combined, highlighted by a pugnacious midrange pull-up jumper implicit a choky contention by All-Defensive stopper Amen Thompson to necktie the people with 3 seconds remaining.

"As the crippled went on, people the coverages got looser," said Gilgeous-Alexander, who was 12-of-26 from the level but lone 1-of-9 from 3-point range. "I was capable to get downhill and to my spots a small bit."

Gilgeous-Alexander added 12 much points successful the 2 overtime periods. He had a chanc...