Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s NBA-record streak of 141 consecutive regular-season games with at least 20 points came to an end Thursday night, when the two-time reigning MVP scored just 17 in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 96-84 win over the Denver Nuggets. He chose respect over the record, asking out of the blowout in the closing minutes.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Credits: ESPN)
After missing all seven of his first-half shots — avoiding a scoreless half for the first time since his 2019 rookie season only via a pair of free throws — Gilgeous-Alexander rallied with 10 fourth-quarter points. But with 1:43 left and the Thunder up 16, he asked coach Mark Daigneault to take him out as Denver emptied its bench.
SGA’s 20-Point Streak Ends at 141 Games in Thunder’s Win Over Nuggets
The streak, which began November 1, 2024, saw him pass Wilt Chamberlain’s six-decade-old mark of 127 straight 20-point games — set between October 1961 and January 1963 — with a 104-102 win over Boston in March 2026. He then stretched it another 14 games. He had not been held below 20 in a regular-season game since October 30, 2024.
“You always treat the game with respect,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of his decision to sub out. Daigneault praised the move: “I just have to note, he asked out of the game at the end of the game. The class that it shows and the perspective it shows. That was his substitution. Of all the things I admire about him, that’s up at the top of the list.”
Thunder Win Without Vintage SGA as Williams, Holmgren Step Up
The Thunder won comfortably anyway. Jalen Williams led with 21 points, Chet Holmgren added 12 points and 17 rebounds, and Oklahoma City turned 13 second-half turnovers into 19 points to pull away from the Nuggets, who were playing their first game of the season.
Aaron Gordon scored 20 for Denver, while Nikola Jokic struggled to 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting and DeMar DeRozan added 13. The Thunder also got a team-best +21 from Gilgeous-Alexander, who hit the dagger three that sealed the win before taking his seat.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.