Nuggets vs. Thunder: OKC wins 96-84 as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's record 20-point streak ends at 141

The Oklahoma City Thunder won their home opener, but the night’s biggest story was a streak that ended. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points in a 96-84 win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, Oct. 22, his first game under 20 points in nearly two years. That snapped his NBA-record run of 141 straight regular-season games with at least 20.

He could have kept it alive. With Oklahoma City up 93-76 and 1:43 left, Gilgeous-Alexander asked coach Mark Daigneault to take him out, ESPN reported.

Nuggets vs. Thunder final score

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Nuggets	27	21	16	20	84
Thunder	24	20	26	26	96

Oklahoma City improved to 2-0 after beating San Antonio on Tuesday. Denver, playing its first game of the season, is 0-1.

How did SGA’s 20-point streak end?

Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s two-time reigning MVP, scored 32 against the Spurs two nights earlier. Against Denver, he missed all seven shots he took in the first half, and only two free throws kept him from a scoreless half for the first time since his rookie season with the Clippers in 2019, according to the AP. ESPN reported it was just the fourth time in 450 games with the Thunder that he went a half without a field goal.

He found his touch after halftime, scoring the first basket of the third quarter, and his 3-pointer with 1:44 left made it 93-76 and gave him 17 points. During the next timeout, he asked to come out.

“I was going to go out there, and then I saw that [the Nuggets] had subbed, so I thought we should sub, too,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, per ESPN. “You always treat the game with respect.”

Daigneault said he had wanted to leave his star in because a “historic streak” was on the line, but praised the decision. “Of all the things that I admire about him, that’s toward the top of the list in terms of moments that I appreciate about him,” he said.

The streak dated to Oct. 30, 2024, the last time he had scored fewer than 20 in a regular-season game. He finished 6 of 19 from the field.

Thunder vs. Nuggets player stats

Thunder - Jalen Williams: 21 points - Chet Holmgren: 12 points, 17 rebounds - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting

Nuggets - Aaron Gordon: 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting, 3-of-4 from 3, 6 rebounds, 2 steals - Nikola Jokić: 13 points - DeMar DeRozan: 13 points off the bench on 5-of-9 shooting - Trevon Brazile: 12 rebounds in his Nuggets debut

Why Denver couldn’t hold on

The Nuggets led by as many as nine points in the first half, and the team’s own recap praised a “valiant defensive effort” before halftime. Denver’s offense stalled after that. The Nuggets shot 38% from the field, 27% from 3-point range and 64% at the free-throw line, the team said.

Oklahoma City took its first lead since 3-0 on a layup by Mitchell that made it 64-62 in the third quarter. Alex Caruso and Gilgeous-Alexander then hit 3s to push the lead to 70-64 after three, and the Thunder pulled away in the fourth.

FAQ

Who won Nuggets vs. Thunder? The Thunder won 96-84 in Oklahoma City on Oct. 22, 2026.

What was SGA’s 20-point streak? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had scored at least 20 points in 141 straight regular-season games, an NBA record, dating to Oct. 30, 2024. It ended with his 17-point game against Denver.

How did Nikola Jokić play? Jokić scored 13 points as Denver struggled to score.

When do the teams play next? Denver hosts New Orleans on Saturday. Oklahoma City hosts the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, per the AP.