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.
Gilgeous-Alexander 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 16, 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, 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 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 quarter 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 turnovers.
Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 21 points while Chet Holmgren had 12 points and 17 rebounds.
The Thunder were just 11 of 43 from behind the 3-point line.
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 suffering a right ankle sprain and did not return.
