Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishes with 17 points in Thunder home opener, ending 141-game streak of 20 points

Just two games into the 2026 season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's long-running scoring streak has come to an end. The Oklahoma City Thunder point guard scored 17 points in the team's home opener on Thursday, though the Thunder held on for a 96-84 win.

The performance broke an NBA record 141-game streak of Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 20 or more points in a game. The regular-season streak dates back nearly two years ago to Oct. 30, 2024, when Gilgeous-Alexander scored 18 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Gilgeous-Alexander was held to just two points in the first half on Thursday, going 0-for-7 from the field. He ramped things up in the second half, ending 6-for-19 on field-goal shooting.

For a moment, Gilgeous-Alexander seemed like he would be able to storm all the way back and preserve the streak: The two-time league MVP scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, capping it off with a big 3-pointer.

But with the Thunder's win pretty much locked up, Gilgeous-Alexander checked out of the game with less than two minutes remaining, falling just short of the 20-point mark.

Postgame, Gilgeous-Alexander said he was planning on going back out there, but saw the Nuggets had also taken out their starters, and decided he should honor that by not going back in.

"I feel like you always treat the game with respect," Gilgeous-Alexander said, via Clemente Almanza of OKC Thunder Wire . "God willing, I have many more games to start another streak, so."

In March, Gilgeous-Alexander's streak put him in the record books, as the guard passed Wilt Chamberlain for the longest-running 20-plus point streak in NBA history with his 127th game. Gilgeous-Alexander kept the streak going for the rest of the regular season, despite some close calls . He scored 32 in the Thunder's season opener on Tuesday.

Even with the streak coming to an end, it's long been proof of Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring efficiency. When looking at the stats , Gilgeous-Alexander has hit 20 points before the fourth quarter in most of his games. It's a streak that surpasses every other active player by a significant margin — let alone leaving 15 games between him and Chamberlain's mark.

The 28-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander will have a chance to start a new streak Sunday, as the Thunder host the Los Angeles Clippers.