Shai Gilgeous-Alexander knows Kevin Durant got away with one

Even the best players suffer from frayed nerves at the end of close games, and that was certainly the case for the Houston Rockets star and two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant. With the score tied at 115 with about two seconds left after Tarry Eason blocked a potential game-winning shot Oklahoma City Thunder star and current MVP Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderDurant grabbed the rebound and called a timeout to set up a potential game-winner for the Rockets. The catch, however, was that The Rockets had no more timeouts.

Durant, however, dodged a big bullet, as the officials did not recognize the Rockets star’s call for a timeout. But Durant’s pleas were clear to the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander, who was close to the action, revealed his perspective for that matter and expressed how lucky he thinks Durant was to get away with what would have been an embarrassing mistake.

“Kevin definitely called a timeout about three times. Verbally and physically. The refs just missed it. That’s life,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per Brandon Rahbar of the Daily Thunder.

The good news for the Thunder is that they didn’t let that missed snowball turn into something that would lead to a loss. A more inexperienced team may have lost their cool, but this OKC squad is assembled and now has some winning prestige — allowing them to stay locked in even when things aren’t going their way.

Gilgeous-Alexander, in particular, he had the last laugh against the Rockets anywayand against Durant, no less. The reigning MVP put Durant on a blender on the Thunder’s final offensive possession, and Gilgeous-Alexander forced him to bite on a pump fake, drawing Durant’s sixth foul that led to two easy free throws for the lead.

This would have been a louder talking point had the Thunder lost the game, but OKC got the job done even though the officiating wasn’t on their side at a crucial time.

The Thunder won the war of attrition against the Rockets

The Rockets had one mission heading into their opening night clash against the Thunder: to win the battle for physicality and to beat the reigning champions into submission.

But this Thunder team didn’t win the championship by playing soft. Time and time again they had chances, and Gilgeous-Alexander, in particular, saved his best for last.

OKC gave Houston a dose of its own medicine; they were lifting Rockets players 94 feet, making life hell for a team without Fred VanVleet.