Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leaned back in the post-game interview chair, exhaling like he had just run a marathon. And in a way, he had. Two double-overtime games, 45 minutes Thursday, 47 minutes Tuesday, and now a career-high 55 points under his belt. The Oklahoma City Thunder had clawed back from exhaustion to edge out the Indiana Pacers 141-135, and Shai looked every bit the superstar, pushing this historic start.

“Uh, I’m tired, but uh it’s expected,” Shai said when asked about his physical state. “It’s a good way to break the ice on the season. Um, shake the rest off. Um, kind of like bust the lungs out, like get my cardio back. So uh yeah, it’s not ideal. Four extra overtimes in two games, but we’ll take it. Two W’s.”

His 55 points tied him with Russell Westbrook for the most 50-

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