Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Gives Humbling Response to Ending 141-Game 20-Point Streak

Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's streak ending, OKC came up trumps against the Denver Nuggets.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Gives Humbling Response to Ending 141-Game 20-Point Streak

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Image credits - Yahoo Sports)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander picked up from where he left off last season. He kickstarted his 2026-27 campaign with a dominant display against the San Antonio Spurs on opening night. He scored 32 points and extended his 20-point scoring streak to 141 games.

The Oklahoma City Thunder got their campaign underway with a statement win over the Spurs and had a chance to put the Western Conference on notice as they took on the Denver Nuggets. After a slow start in the first half, the Thunder put the clamps on the Nuggets and registered their second win of the season.

It was a low-scoring affair for a regular-season game as they secured a 96-84 victory at the Paycom Center on Thursday night. It was just the start they would have been looking for after a disappointing end to their 2025-26 campaign.

Over the last few years, SGA has established himself as one of the best scorers in the league. With consecutive MVPs under his belt, he has made scoring 20 points look like the easiest task in the NBA. He has been building his 20-point scoring streak for the last two years. Unfortunately, it came to an end on Thursday night.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ended his night with 17 points to his name. However, he had the opportunity to extend his streak to 142 games when both the Nuggets cleared out their bench in the final three minutes of the game.

The reigning MVP could have continued as he was just three points away from the 20-point mark, but he decided against it and subbed out of the game. During his press conference, he revealed that he prefers to respect the game rather than hold on to his scoring streak.

I was gonna go out there. But then I saw that they had subbed, so I was like, ‘I should probably sub too.’ I feel like you should always treat the game with respect. And, God willing, I’ll have many more games to start another streak, so it’s alright.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in his postgame press conference

While SGA is often labeled as a ‘free-throw merchant‘ and is criticized for flopping, he has always maintained his humility in front of the media and fans. He has shrugged off the criticism and is focused on overcoming all the hate. His response to subbing himself out showed everyone that winning as a team matters more to him than personal achievements.

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Coach Daigneault wanted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to extend his scoring streak

There are very few players in the league as skilled and talented as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in terms of scoring. He has made scoring look very easy since joining the Thunder from the Los Angeles Clippers.

He had a poor start against the Nuggets, missing all seven of his field-goal attempts in the first half. Heading into the tunnel at halftime, he just had two points to his name, courtesy of two free throws. He found his rhythm in the second half and scored 10 points in the fourth quarter.

In his press conference, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said he intended to keep his star player in the game to extend his streak.

I just have to note, he asked out of the game at the end… That was his substitution. It shows tremendous class as a competitor.

Mark Daigneault in his postgame press conference

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s actions are a testament to his greatness on and off the court. He may not be the most vocal of figures in the dressing room, but his decision on Thursday night perfectly captured why he has become the leader of this Thunder team.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t too bothered about losing his scoring streak

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has broken multiple scoring records over the last few years. He has embodied scoring in the NBA over the last few years.

Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Image credits – Bleacher Report)

Coming into this season, he has averaged 30+ points per game for four consecutive seasons. It is a historic feat, as it was last achieved by Michael Jordan over 30 years ago. Hence, some analysts have gone as far as to put him in the same tier as the NBA icon.

When asked about SGA’s decision to sub himself out, Jalen Williams praised his teammate in a press conference.

He is a smart man. He walked in the locker room and said, ‘I’ll just restart.’ So there you go.

Jalen Williams in his postgame press conference

The Canadian international’s 141-game run will remain one of the most remarkable individual accomplishments of this era. It may not be broken anytime soon, but it looks like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ready to break his own streak in the future.

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