Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on a heater right now, and the reigning regular season MVP, scoring champ, and Western Conference Finals MVP is just four wins from capturing an NBA title and capping off a momentous season.
To do that, he’ll need to get his team back on track tonight to avoid falling into a 2-0 deficit heading back to Indianapolis.
I've looked through Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's odds and have found the best ways to add him to your NBA picks for this NBA Finals Game 2 tilt on June 8.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander player prop picks
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander best bet
Under 34.5 points (-120 at bet365)
The NBA’s leading scorer has averaged 30.2 points per game in the postseason, though he’s dropped 35 or more only five times. Four of those have come over his last seven outings, but I don’t expect him to reach that lofty total tonight. He won’t need to.
The Oklahoma City Thunder outplayed the Indiana Pacers for most of Game 1... except for a fraction of a second. Haliburton’s game-winning jumper gave Indiana its first and only lead of the game with 0.3 seconds on the clock.
Indy has become synonymous with wild, fourth-quarter comebacks, and the Thunder know they can’t let the Pacers hang around in Game 2 and stay within striking distance.
I expect SGA & Co. to start the game with a ton of energy and build a lead even the Pacers can’t overcome. The Thunder understand the gravity of this game: If they lose Game 2, they’ll have to win four of five against the Pacers with three games in Indy.
I fully expect SGA to score double-digit points in the opening frame, but that won’t translate to a final tally of 35 or more. His early-game scoring, coupled with his team’s energy on both ends of the court, should lead to a comfortable win for the home team and little work on offense for SGA late in the game.
I’d be tempted to take the Over on his scoring line if it were set at 31.5 or 32.5, but 34.5 is a bit too high for my liking.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander same-game parlay
Under 34.5 points
Over 9.5 first-quarter points
Over 12.5 assists+rebounds
SGA led the Association in first-quarter points per game in the regular season with 10.1, and he’s averaged 8.5 in the postseason. Oklahoma City’s star guard has posted at least 12 first-quarter points in three straight, including 12 in Game 1, and I expect more of the same tonight as he comes out hungry to avenge a heartbreaking loss.
Gilgeous-Alexander is a world-class scorer, but he’s also been quite productive as a rebounder and facilitator throughout the 2024-25 campaign. Through 17 postseason appearances, he’s averaging 12.3 assists+rebounds, and he’s gone for at least 13 seven times, with three more games totaling exactly 12.
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