Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came into Game 1 of the NBA Finals as one of the most dominant scorers in the postseason. He carried the thunder through the playoffs with clutch buckets and efficient shooting. But on the biggest stage, the Indiana Pacers had a defensive plan that worked successfully.

Led by Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith , the Pacers made the MVP fight for every point. They held him to 5-of-17 from the field in their dramatic 111-110 win . The Pacers’ two guards stayed locked in from start to finish, pressuring him on every possession and forcing tough shots.

The matchup stats tell the story. Gilgeous-Alexander went 3-of-9 when guarded by Nembhard and 2-of-8 against Nesmith. That’s just 29.4% shooting combined. Neither defender gave him an inch of space. He scored 38 po

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