Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored fewer than 20 points for the first time in nearly two years, finishing with 17 in Thursday night’s 96-84 home win over the Denver Nuggets. The result ended his NBA-record streak of 20-point games.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 32 points in a convincing win over San Antonio on Tuesday night, shot just 6 of 19 from the field against Denver. It was the first time since October 30, 2024 that he had failed to reach 20 points, a run of 141 regular-season games.
He had just under two minutes left to add three more points and extend the streak. However, with Oklahoma City leading 93-76 and 1:43 remaining, he asked Thunder coach Mark Daigneault to take him out.
“I was going to go out there, and then I saw that [the Nuggets] had subbed, so I thought we should sub, too,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You always treat the game with respect.”
Daigneault said he wanted to leave Gilgeous-Alexander in the game because a “historic streak” was on the line. He also praised his star’s maturity.
“I just think of the class that it shows and the perspective that it shows for him to say, ‘Hey, I’m out now. The game’s calling for me to be subbed out,'” Daigneault said. “That was his substitution. And of all the things that I admire about him, that’s toward the top of the list in terms of moments that I appreciate about him.”
A quiet night for the two-time reigning MVP
The league’s two-time reigning MVP missed all seven shots he took in the first 24 minutes as the Thunder trailed by as many as nine points. A pair of free throws kept him from going scoreless in a half for the first time since his rookie season with the LA Clippers in 2019.
It was only the fourth time in 450 games with the Thunder that he had gone without a field goal in a half. Gilgeous-Alexander then scored the first basket of the third quarter to pull Oklahoma City to 48-46.
A layup by Ajay Mitchell gave the Thunder a 64-62 lead, their first since the opening minutes at 3-0. Three-pointers from Alex Caruso and Gilgeous-Alexander extended the advantage to 70-64 after three quarters. Gilgeous-Alexander then hit a three to push Oklahoma City’s lead to 93-76 and give him 17 points with 1:44 left. He asked to be taken out during the next timeout and did not return.
Supporting cast delivers
Jalen Williams scored 21 points, while Chet Holmgren added 12 points and 17 rebounds for the Thunder. For Denver, which was playing its first game of the season, Aaron Gordon scored 20 points, and Nikola Jokic and DeMar DeRozan added 13 apiece.