SGA admits he found OKC guard ‘pretty good’ after OT thriller against Pacers

Doc Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already breaking NBA records two games into the 2025-26 regular season, he sees the development of second-year quarterback Ajay Mitchell. In the rematch of the finals, the head coach of Thunder Marc Daigneault watched Gilgeous-Alexander hit a career high 55 points, which helped shut out the Indiana Pacers along with Mitchell’s career-high 26 points off the bench in a 141-135 double overtime thriller.

After beating the Pacers, Gilgeous-Alexander reacted to the Mitchells impressive performance in his availability to the media after the game.

“He’s just a really good basketball player. His feel for the game is what jumps out right away,” Gilgeus-Alexander said. “He just understands how to play. It’s almost like when you play with him, it’s like a pick-up game. He doesn’t need a game called for him. He doesn’t need too much structure. He just goes out there, figures out a way, plays real basketball, plays hard and wins. So he gives it right back. He makes it easy for me.”

Mitchell, who scored 21 of his 26 points in four quarters, earning extended playing time in both overtimes, discussed what it was like sharing the floor with Gilgeous-Alexander all the time. It was a new experience for the Thunder’s 2024 second-round pick.

Mitchell also revealed what Gilgeous-Alexander told him moments after the final buzzer, which was similar to what SGA told reporters in his thoughts on the Thunder’s second point guard.

“We had two overtimes – two games. So (it was) just like ‘The way to play. Thank God we got that win, and you’re a pretty good basketball player,” obviously it was cool to have that moment with him,” Mitchell said. “Just to see the confidence that he put in himself. And being able to go out and play with him on the court was pretty fun, too. I just had to keep building and getting better.”

Mitchell went 9-19 from the floor and finished with four assists and one steal in the Thunder’s win against the Pacers.

Mark Daigneault hangs with Ajay Mitchell through Thunder OTs

With All-Star Jalen Williams, Isaiah Joe, Alek Caruso and Nikola Topic ruled out, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault gave Aaron Wiggins the nod in his starting five. Wiggins finished with 23 points, including 5-of-9 from deep, nine rebounds and one block, and second-year Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell led the second unit with 26 points in 38 minutes.

Daigneault went with the Thunder’s four-back lineup of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lou Dort, Mitchell and Wiggins, who would replace Chet Holmgren at the start of both overtime periods before Dayne made the same substitution midway through each period.