Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder Excite NBA Fans with Comeback G4 Win vs. Luka, Mavs

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was not about to let his team fall into a 3-1 hole.

The MVP finalist led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a comeback 100-96 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Monday's Game 4 of their second-round playoff series at American Airlines Center. While Dallas led by double digits in the second half, Gilgeous-Alexander gradually chipped away at the deficit and took over in the fourth quarter to spearhead the win.

He finished with 34 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks while also hitting two free throws in the final two seconds to ice the win. It stood in stark contrast to Luka Dončić, who missed one of two free throws with 10 seconds remaining and Dallas facing a two-point deficit.

Dončić posted a triple-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, but he was just 6-of-20 from the field with seven turnovers.

Gilgeous-Alexander was the star who shined the brightest, and social media reacted accordingly:

All of the momentum was on Dallas' side coming in after two straight wins, and jumping out to an 11-point halftime advantage did nothing to dispel it. P.J. Washington remained on fire from deep on his way to 21 points, Kyrie Irving played a facilitating role and Dončić drilled a step-back three to extend the lead to double digits.

But it was the defense that stood out the most.

Dereck Lively II, Derrick Jones Jr. and Daniel Gafford seemed to build a wall around the rim at times, while the perimeter defenders swarmed Oklahoma City's three-point looks. Every time it looked like the Thunder might make a first-half run, the Mavericks shut things down on the defensive side.

That is what made the comeback so impressive for Oklahoma City.

It started with its own defensive effort, as the Mavericks managed just 15 points in the third quarter. Their offense devolved into Washington or bust for extended stretches with Dončić struggling, which opened the door for Gilgeous-Alexander.

And he busted right through it.

The explosive guard hit seemingly every tough shot in the fourth quarter when the game was hanging in the balance. Just for good measure, he assisted on critical baskets for Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams down the stretch as the best player on the floor in winning time.

As a result, the Thunder stole back home-court advantage with the series returning to Oklahoma City for Wednesday's Game 5.