After the loss in Game 1, the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back with a hard-fought win over the Indiana Pacers. The battle at the Paycom Center was intense from start to finish. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso both stepped up offensively, each scoring more than 20 points. However, the 2025 NBA MVP chose to shift the spotlight elsewhere. He highlighted a teammate who often flies under the radar, praising his crucial role in the victory.
“It’s impressive to me…He’s (Aaron Wiggins) been exactly who he’s been all year throughout the playoffs. Sometimes he gets 20 minutes, sometimes he gets two minutes, sometimes he gets 10, it’s all over the place. No matter what, he finds a way to impact winning for us. And you need it in the biggest moments. No one-man show can win an NBA championship. For him to rise to the occasion and just be who he’s been in the biggest moment of his basketball career is pretty gutsy. Says a lot about the competitor and the man he is. So hats off to Wigs,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said in the press conference.
On a roster featuring standout names like Shai, Alex Caruso, and Jalen Williams, many fans tend to overlook Aaron Wiggins. Nevertheless, he took full advantage of his opportunity in Game 2. He played 30 minutes, scored 18 points, and added 4 rebounds. As a result, he became one of the team’s most effective offensive contributors. In addition, he has fully embraced his role off the bench, providing consistent value whenever he enters the game.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault also praised Wiggins for his performance during the post-game press conference. “He was huge tonight. I give him a lot of credit… He’s been a huge part of our success this season. In the playoffs, his role has been very night-to-night, but he hangs in there… He was massive tonight. Went in there with great confidence. Didn’t go in until the second quarter and just dove right into the game. Great professionalism. Great readiness. A huge performance for us.”
Aaron Wiggins #21 of the Oklahoma City Thunder attempts a shot during the first half of game seven of the Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets at Paycom Center on May 18, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault makes a surprising analysis on Indiana Pacers ‘kind of an acquired taste’
Considering the outcome of Game 1, very few fans expected the Thunder to bounce back by dominating three of the four quarters in Game 2 against the Pacers. Unlike in the series opener, Thunder received a major boost from their bench. Two players came off the bench and scored more than 17 points, providing a much-needed spark. In the post-game press conference, head coach Mark Daigneault offered his analysis after facing Indiana.
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“Indiana is kind of an acquired taste…We haven’t played them a ton … They play a very distinct style on both ends, and I thought there were a lot of things tonight that we were just a little better in and more comfortable, and that was on both ends of the floor. I just thought the guys did a good job of just improving, which is important going from Game 1 to Game 2,” Daigneault affirmed.
