The OKC Thunder defeated Denver 96-84, overcoming their star guard’s uncharacteristic struggles. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting from the field. He missed all seven of his first-half attempts, relying on two free throws to avoid finishing the opening 24 minutes without scoring. It was his first scoreless half from the field since his rookie season.
Jalen Williams offered a glimpse into SGA’s reaction after the game. The Thunder star did not dwell on the historic run coming to an end. He was already thinking about starting another one.
“He’s a smart man, you know, the last minute of the game is like, probably the best that can happen with that,” Williams said after the game to the media. “So I think it just speaks to how well he keeps up in perspective. When he walked in the locker room, he said, ‘I’ll just restart.’ So there you go. ‘So I got 80 games left,’ what he said, so. Speaking of putting things in perspective.”
That was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s response to losing a streak that lasted 141 games. The three-word message captured his approach. The reigning two-time MVP had shared a similar sentiment back in March, where he prioritized winning over keeping his streak alive.
“If we lost, I would’ve been pissed,” he told NBA on Prime Video sideline reporter Cassidy Hubbarth. “I would’ve given up the record for the W any day of the week. So, I’m glad we won and I got the record.”
His shooting woes continued into the third quarter before he finally connected on the first basket of the third quarter. He later knocked down a transition three-pointer to help Oklahoma City regain control. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one final opportunity to extend the streak late in the fourth quarter.
His three-pointer brought him to 17 points with less than two minutes remaining, but the game was already out of reach. He was substituted out after the ensuing timeout, and the record came to an end. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accepted the decision and looked ahead.
“Yeah, I mean, I was going to go out there, and then I saw that they had subbed. So then I was just like, ‘I should sub too.’ Just like, I feel like you always shoot the game when it’s done. Yeah, so. And God willing, I have many more games to start on this streak as well. So it’s fine.”
The run had already made history. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surpassed Wilt Chamberlain’s previous mark of 126 consecutive regular-season games with at least 20 points. SGA entered the game after opening the season with 32 points against San Antonio.
Against Denver, however, he struggled to convert his attempts and didn’t find his first field goal until the third quarter. Head coach Mark Daigneault revealed that he would have allowed the two-time MVP to remain on the floor.
“I would have left him (on the court),” Daigneault said. “I was going to leave him. But for all the reasons I’ve said, it’s just another reason on the list of why I admire him. His perspective in that situation and his competitive class.”
Oklahoma City’s defense made the difference on a night when its leading scorer struggled. The Thunder held Denver to just 84 points, with the Nuggets shooting below 40% from the field and struggling to find consistent offense.
Nikola Jokic also had an unusually quiet outing, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists on 5-of-19 shooting. The result showed that Oklahoma City could secure a convincing win without their two-time MVP carrying the scoring load.
Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 21 points, while Chet Holmgren recorded 12 points and 17 rebounds. Ajay Mitchell also contributed 12 points off the bench, helping the Thunder overcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shooting struggles.