SHAI Gilgeous-Alexander erupted for a career-high 55 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder won their second straight double-overtime thriller to start the season, outlasting the Indiana Pacers 141-135 on Thursday night (Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, PH time) in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals.
The reigning MVP reached the 50-point mark for the fifth time in his career, tying Russell Westbrook for the most in Thunder history.
Ajay Mitchell added a career-best 26 points, while Aaron Wiggins had 23 points and nine rebounds for Oklahoma City, which also survived a double-overtime battle against Houston in its opener.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot 15 of 31 from the field and 23 of 26 from the free-throw line while adding eight rebounds and eight assists.
He powered a decisive run early in the second overtime, and the Thunder benefited from a late timeout call after it appeared Obi Toppin had stolen the inbound pass under the OKC basket. Isaiah Hartenstein also grabbed 14 rebounds in the win.
Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 36 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out in the first overtime. Pascal Siakam added 32 points and 15 rebounds for Indiana, which played without injured guards Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell and then lost Andrew Nembhard to a sore left shoulder in the first half.
Despite their depleted roster, the Pacers stayed competitive in a foul-plagued contest that saw 70 fouls called and a technical on coach Rick Carlisle.
Before tipoff, Indiana unveiled its Eastern Conference championship banner and honored franchise matriarch Nancy Leonard, who helped save the team with a 1977 telethon. She passed away in September at 93.
Warriors 137, Nuggets 131
In San Francisco, Stephen Curry poured in 42 points — including a game-tying three-pointer late in regulation — as the Golden State Warriors rallied to beat the Denver Nuggets 137-131 in overtime.
Aaron Gordon scored a career-high 50 points for Denver, breaking Alex English’s 1985 franchise record for a season opener. Gordon also tied Terry Rozier’s mark of 10 three-pointers in an opener, set in 2020.
Golden State seized control with a 12-2 run in overtime, highlighted by a corner three-pointer from Al Horford and another dagger from Jimmy Butler that made it 133-127 with 41 seconds remaining.
Regulation ended in dramatic fashion — Gordon hit a go-ahead trey with 25.7 seconds left, but Curry responded with a deep triple just 4.3 seconds later to tie the game at 120-all. Nikola Jokic then missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer, forcing overtime.
Jokic tallied 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, joining Oscar Robertson as the only players with four triple-doubles in season openers.
Denver, the last team to debut this season, fell behind 10-0 before storming back with a 12-0 run. Gordon hit all seven of his first-half three-pointers — the most ever in the first half of a season opener — as the Nuggets led 70-61 at intermission. / From the wires