Daigneault Praises SGA After Historic 141-Game Scoring Streak Ends

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Asks Out With 1:43 Left to Preserve the Game

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked himself to the bench with 1 minute and 43 seconds remaining in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 96-84 victory over the Denver Nuggets, voluntarily ending the longest 20-plus-point scoring streak in NBA history at 141 games. “I was gonna go out there. And then I saw that they had subbed [in their deep bench]. So I thought we should sub too. You always treat the game with respect,” Gilgeous-Alexander explained after the final buzzer, via Brandon Rahbar of the Daily Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the home opener with 17 points, slipping below the 20-point threshold for the first time since Nov. 1, 2024.

Mark Daigneault Praises Guard’s Perspective After Record Streak Ends

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault admitted he initially intended to leave his star guard on the floor to chase further milestones, but ultimately deferred to his player’s sense of sportsmanship. “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,” Daigneault told reporters, via the Daily Thunder. The coach noted that while he would have left Gilgeous-Alexander in the game under normal circumstances, the guard’s decision to match Denver’s deep-bench substitution cemented his admiration.

Offensive Struggles and Fourth-Quarter Pullaway Against Denver

Neither team found an easy rhythm during a defensive slugfest, where both the Thunder and the Nuggets shot under 38 percent from the field and below 27 percent from beyond the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander struggled through a cold shooting night, failing to score a bucket in the first half and managing just a 2-of-13 mark through the first three quarters. He shot 6-of-19 overall and 3-of-11 on three-pointers, finishing with 17 points while adding a team-best +21 rating and sealing the contest with a late three-pointer. Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 21 points, while Nikola Jokic paced Denver with 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting alongside seven rebounds and five assists.

OKC Thunder: Mark Daigneault explains how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took himself out of the game with

Historical Context of the 141-Game Milestone

The halted streak began on Nov. 1, 2024, establishing a benchmark that stood alone in league record books. Last season, Gilgeous-Alexander surpassed Wilt Chamberlain, who previously held the record with 127 games scoring at least 20 points between 1962 and 1963. Reflecting on the historic run versus the team outcome, Gilgeous-Alexander made his priorities clear: “If we verloren hätten, wäre ich stinksauer gewesen. Ich hätte jederzeit lieber auf den Rekord verzichtet, wenn wir dafür den Sieg geholt hätten.” The guard emphasized that securing the victory remained paramount over personal milestones.

Next Matchup on the Regular Season Schedule

Oklahoma City improves to 2-0 in the young regular-season campaign following an opening 116-104 win against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder return to the floor in the night on Monday to face the Los Angeles Clippers, where the guard will begin his next scoring chapter.