Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s report 20-point streak ends as Thunder beat Nuggets

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored just 17 points to snap an NBA-record streak, but the Oklahoma City Thunder knocked off the Denver Nuggets 96-84 at home Thursday.

Gilgeous-Alexander had scored 20 or more points in an NBA-record 141 consecutive games. He hadn’t been held below 20 points in the regular season since Oct. 30, 2024.

Gilgeous-Alexander had a chance to extend the streak, but with less than two minutes remaining and Oklahoma City up by 17, Nuggets coach David Adelman emptied his bench following a timeout. The reigning two-time NBA Most Valuable Player didn’t wait for direction from Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, taking his place on the bench to officially end the streak.

To that point, Gilgeous-Alexander had been making a strong push toward keeping the streak alive with 10 fourth-quarter points.

Oklahoma City hadn’t led since going up 3-0 in the opening seconds until Ajay Mitchell’s transition layup with just more than two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

In the closing seconds of the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander raced up the court after a rebound from Jaylin Williams and drained a 3-pointer in transition to put the Thunder up by six.

Gilgeous-Alexander had been 0-for-7 from beyond the arc before hitting the shot.

Gilgeous-Alexander was initially called for a foul on Nikola Jokic’s 3-point heave as time expired in the quarter, which would have given Jokic three free throws, but the play was challenged and the foul call was overturned.

Gilgeous-Alexander missed all seven shots he attempted in the first half and didn’t get on the board at all until sinking a pair of free throws with less than two minutes remaining.

Gilgeous-Alexander quickly broke that stretch without a field goal in the third quarter, but it wasn’t until that 3-pointer late in the period that he found an offensive rhythm.

It didn’t matter, though, as the Thunder forced 13 second-half turnovers and turned them into 19 points.

Oklahoma City scored 14 of its 26 fourth-quarter points off takeaways.

Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 21 points while Chet Holmgren had 12 points and 17 rebounds.

The Thunder hit just 11 of 43 (25.6%) from behind the 3-point arc.

Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 20 points while Jokic had 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting.

Denver’s Cameron Johnson left with 3:30 remaining in the second quarter after sustaining a right ankle sprain. He did not return.

–Field Level Media