SGA takes over late as Thunder tie NBA Finals at 2-2 with tactical switches

The Oklahoma City Thunder are built on poise, patience, and principles. So when they found themselves staring down a 2-1 series deficit against the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals, they didn’t panic. They adjusted, and they simplified. And then, they unleashed their superstar.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, already in the midst of a historic postseason run, delivered another defining performance in Game 4 – one that swung the Finals and cemented his status as the alpha on basketball’s biggest stage. Down late in the fourth quarter, SGA scored or created nearly every crucial bucket, finishing the night with 35 points, with one transcendent takeover.

But this wasn’t just about a scoring outburst. This was high-level basketball IQ, surgical execution, and coaching precision from Mark Daigneault wrapped into a four-minute flurry that may ultimately define the 2025 NBA Finals.

The adjustment that shifted the game, and possibly the series

With 3:54 left in the fourth quarter and the Thunder trailing by five, head coach Mark Daigneault called a timeout. Up to that point, Indiana’s defensive scheme – centered on Andrew Nembhard defending Gilgeous-Alexander – had largely held up. Nembhard, who’s known SGA since their childhood days playing in Canada, was disciplined and physical without fouling, staying grounded against SGA’s deceptive fakes and change-of-pace moves.

But Daigneault didn’t overcomplicate things. Out of the timeout, he made one small yet powerful tweak: Oklahoma City began actively hunting switches to get Aaron Nesmith onto Gilgeous-Alexander.

It worked like clockwork. The Thunder ran repeated ball screens involving Jalen Williams, with Nesmith as the on-ball defender. Once the switch occurred, SGA went to work.

What followed was a brilliant stretch of controlled basketball dominance.

• 3:35 left — SGA attacks Nesmith off a switch, draws a foul, and calmly sinks two free throws.
• 3:01 left — With Williams initiating, SGA spaces out on the right wing. Nesmith switches onto him. One dribble pull-up three. Splash. Thunder cut the Pacers’ lead to one.
• 2:23 left — In transition, SGA motions for an isolation. Williams clears out, Nesmith stays on him. Stepback fade from the left wing. Money. Thunder take the lead.
• 1:38 left — Thunder run the same switch at the midpost. SGA attacks again, drawing Nesmith’s sixth foul – and he’s done for the night.

This was completely broken down from a video by Steph Noh:

With 3 min 52 sec remaining, Mark Daigneault called timeout and made the adjustment that won the Thunder Game 4.

Nembhard had been guarding SGA extremely well. Thunder used the same action 3x to get Nesmith to switch, Shai kept scoring/getting the foul call. pic.twitter.com/6g4GnhA0RU

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) June 14, 2025

These weren’t just buckets and free throws – they were calculated, unhurried, and inevitable. And just like that, the Thunder took control of the game and the momentum of the series.

Daigneault’s postgame comments echoed the calmness his team displayed during that decisive run, which has been the Thunder’s blueprint all season. The Thunder rarely stray from their core principles. They space the floor, they move the ball, and they trust Gilgeous-Alexander to dissect whatever coverage comes his way. But this time, they leaned into the moment. They fed their MVP the exact looks he needed and let him take it home.

The beauty of OKC’s late-game offense was in its simplicity. Instead of running elaborate sets or off-ball actions, they flattened the floor, used one screener to create the mismatch, and let their best player read the floor. No wasted motion and no hesitation, just straight up takeover from their superstar.

SGA's Finals legacy is taking shape

Gilgeous-Alexander has now scored 30+ points in three of the four Finals games, and he’s doing it efficiently and under control. He’s not just a volume scorer – he’s manipulating defenses, managing pace, and bending the game to his rhythm.

Game 4 wasn’t just a highlight reel of clutch plays. It was a masterclass in reading matchups, knowing personnel, and executing a plan. There’s a reason why Indiana put Nembhard on him and not Nesmith. The moment the Thunder exploited that switch, it turned the game around, and possibly the series.

And it’s worth remembering: this is Gilgeous-Alexander’s first trip to the Finals. Yet he plays like he’s been here before.

– – –

With the series now tied 2-2, the pressure swings back to the Pacers. They’ve been remarkable all postseason, and Game 4 was no exception – they executed their game plan for 44 minutes. But when the game slowed down and turned into a star duel, SGA stood tallest.

Game 5 looms large. And if the Thunder keep finding ways to free their MVP, it’s hard to bet against them.