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Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins exclusive 3,000-point club with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant during NBA Finals showdown vs Indiana Pacers

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins exclusive 3,000-point club with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant during NBA Finals showdown vs Indiana Pacers

Time of India2 days ago

Image via Getty Images
When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stepped onto the court Sunday night in Oklahoma City, he wasn't thinking about numbers. But just minutes into Game 2 of the NBA Finals, the reigning MVP made history—again.
With a smooth 10-foot jumper early in the first quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander crossed the 3,000-point mark for the season, combining his regular season and playoff totals. He became just the 12th player in NBA history to ever reach that milestone. For a guy who swears he's only focused on winning, the milestones just keep piling up.
MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reaches 3,000 points in historic NBA Finals moment
The moment came early, just under four minutes into the first quarter at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
, who entered the night needing only two points to hit the milestone after scoring 38 in Game 1, reached 3,000 with a smooth 10-foot jumper. The bucket wasn't just significant—it was historic.
This marks only the 25th instance in league history where a player has scored 3,000 points in a single season.
Michael Jordan
achieved it a record 10 times—no one else comes close.
Wilt Chamberlain
did it five times during his dominant run in the 1960s. The rest of the elite list features one-time entries: Bob McAdoo (1974–75),
Elgin Baylor
(1962–63),
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
(1971–72), Rick Barry (1966–67),
Shaquille O'Neal
(1993–94), James Harden (2018–19),
Kobe Bryant
(2005–06),
Kevin Durant
(2013–14), and
Luka Doncic
just last season in 2023–24.
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Now, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins that storied group.
And he didn't just score—he orchestrated. With more than 600 assists to his name this season, Gilgeous-Alexander becomes just the fourth player ever to pair a 3,000-point season with at least 600 assists, joining Jordan, Harden, and Doncic.
Still, the 26-year-old guard made it clear what matters most. 'I said this so many times,' Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters before Game 2.
'I don't play for the individual stuff. I don't play for anything else besides winning. I never have in my whole life.'
Despite his 38-point performance in Game 1, the Thunder fell short as Tyrese Haliburton drained a buzzer-beater to steal the 111–110 win for Indiana. Gilgeous-Alexander's supporting cast struggled, with the rest of the starters combining to shoot just 16-of-47.
Through 17 playoff games, he's maintained a 30.2 scoring average on 47.1% shooting—even with tighter postseason defense.
His regular season numbers were just as lethal: a league-best 32.7 points per game, along with 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals, shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.5% from deep.
Also Read:
'Hopefully I'm somewhere close' — MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander channels Kobe Bryant's legacy in his defining 2025 NBA Finals moment
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may have made history on Sunday, but he's not one to pause and admire the view. For him, the job's not done—not until the Thunder win it all. Even as his name now sits beside icons like Jordan, Kobe, and Kareem, he remains grounded, focused, and hungry for more. That 3,000-point milestone? Just another stop on the road to a championship. And if his season so far is any indication, he's far from finished.

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Exclusive: Bangladeshi chess player deported from India; 80-year-old legend Rani Hamid 'disturbed' by events
Exclusive: Bangladeshi chess player deported from India; 80-year-old legend Rani Hamid 'disturbed' by events

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  • Time of India

Exclusive: Bangladeshi chess player deported from India; 80-year-old legend Rani Hamid 'disturbed' by events

80-year-old Bangladeshi chess legend Rani Hamid NEW DELHI: Bangladesh's renowned 80-year-old chess player Sayeda Jasimunnessa Khatun, better known as Rani Hamid, arrived in India earlier this month to participate in the 21st edition of the Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament (June 7-14). The journey that began in high spirits took a troubling turn when her travel companion and compatriot, Ashiya Sultana, was denied entry into the country upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Sultana, 37, was reportedly blacklisted by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for participating in a chess tournament in Kolkata while on a medical visa during a previous visit. As a result, she was held at the Airport immigration centre overnight and denied access to her luggage. Subsequently, she was deported to Bangladesh the following day. The incident left Rani Hamid visibly shaken and emotionally distressed. 'I am very sad," Hamid told on the sidelines of the Delhi GM Open. "The person who came with me was not allowed to enter India. She was made to sit overnight at the immigration centre. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo They did not even give her access to her luggage. The next day, she was forced to buy a return ticket at double the price,' she said. 'My mind is disturbed, and I am unable to focus on the game.' As a result of the unfortunate turn of events, Hamid (rated 1800+) has had a challenging run in the tournament so far, securing one win and one draw out of six rounds, all against lower-rated opponents. Hamid, who has long refrained from travelling alone for tournaments due to her growing age, added, 'I never travel alone. I always have someone with me. She was accompanying me, and now she is gone. I have been left alone.' Poll Do you think the immigration policies regarding sports participants need to be more transparent? Yes, definitely No, they are fine as is Not sure Speaking further on the situation, the 80-year-old, who became Bangladesh's first Woman International Master (WIM) in 1985, voiced deep concern over the apparent lack of coordination between the Indian and Bangladeshi authorities. 'Her passport was clear, all documents were in order, but immigration told her she had been blacklisted for playing in a previous tournament on a medical visa," Hamid continued. "At the time, she wasn't even aware that it was a violation. If she had been informed earlier, she would never have come. The Indian authorities should have notified the Bangladesh Chess Federation.' Bombay Sport Exchange Ep. 6: Harish Thawani on cricket's TV market and the watershed moments Hamid added that she pleaded with immigration officials for leniency. 'I requested them: if you believe she violated the rules, then impose a fine, $100, $200, whatever, but let her stay and play for seven days. She is not a criminal. She hasn't committed any crime. She didn't kill, steal, or rob anyone. Her only offence is that she played chess.' Despite the emotional strain, Rani Hamid, however, acknowledged the support and hospitality provided by the organising committee of the Delhi Chess Association (DCA). ALSO READ: Rs 50,000 a month and countless sacrifices: How India's chess future shapes up in Chennai hut With the tournament held at The Tivoli, a resort in Chhatarpur, Delhi, where international participants are also accommodated, it takes Hamid less than five minutes to walk from her room to the playing hall. 'It is very comfortable here. I can play only because of that comfort. I am very grateful to the organisers who sent tickets and invited us so warmly,' she said. DCA president Bharat Singh Chauhan described the incident as one of the many challenges that come with organising a major international event. "Visa issues are common for foreign players. In this case, the FRRO had blacklisted her. Perhaps she had previously come to India for medical treatment and ended up playing in a chess tournament, which may have led someone to file a complaint. As a result, she was denied entry. These kinds of challenges are part and parcel of hosting large-scale events," he explained.

Serena Williams drawn into debate over husband Alexis Ohanian's comments post Grand Slam 2025
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Time of India

time30 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Serena Williams drawn into debate over husband Alexis Ohanian's comments post Grand Slam 2025

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Nitish Kumar Reddy or Shardul Thakur? Who will make the cut for India against England
Nitish Kumar Reddy or Shardul Thakur? Who will make the cut for India against England

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Nitish Kumar Reddy or Shardul Thakur? Who will make the cut for India against England

India faces a severe challenge while trying to figure out its playing combination for the upcoming high-stakes Tests in England. One of Nitish Rddy and Shardul Thakur will be up for a place in the final XI for the first test at Headingley on June 20. Nitish and Shardul were thrown into the playing XI for India A during both unofficial Tests against England Lions , and both all-rounders reaped mixed results across the two contests. Considering the way Nitish was used, his role revolved primarily around being a batting all-rounder. He thrived in this role during his maiden Test assignment in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, where he played all five Tests. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Vietnam (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now However, after being exposed to English conditions, Nitish struggled to judge the bounce and often got beaten by the seam movement. On Canterbury's benign pitch, Nitish went to cut the ball too early and too hard in the first innings. During his second turn, he struck a half-century on the fourth day; however, by that time, the fate of the game was decided, and part-time bowlers were out rolling their arms. Live Events Apart from the bounce, Nitish's main struggle is the seam movement. In Northampton, Nitish toiled hard against Tom Haines, a part-time medium-pace bowler. Nitish was able to play aggressively in Australia, irrespective of the situation, because the ball travelled nicely to his bat. However, in England, the overcast conditions, the grassy surface and the wobbly seam pose a massive challenge for the 22-year-old. Nitish appeared to be harmless with the ball from Canterbury to Northampton. Batters garnered runs during his over, and his average speed remained at 70mph, which he has to notch up. On the other hand, Shardul is a seasoned player who has played four of his 11 Tests in England. While Shardul's pace resembled that of Nitish, he was able to extract more seam movement and continued to beat the outside edge of the Lions batter. In Canterbury, he bowled 28 overs, nearly double what Nitish bowled and scalped two wickets. In 2021, when India led 2-1 in the series in England, Shardul was one of the main reasons behind the tourists' success. He was the fifth bowling option and was effective with the bat. As things stand, Nitish and Shardul will need to work on things before the highly anticipated series begins.

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