Jan. 16, 2026, 1:00 p.m. CT
Receiving the ball at the top of the key, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drove directly at the basket. All Amen Thompson could do was bump him out of his trajectory. The reigning MVP spun around as he held onto the ball for dear life. He flung it up after the move for the stumbling acrobatic layup.
The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled away late in their 111-91 win over the Houston Rockets. A 27-6 run to start the fourth quarter turned this from a one-possession contest to a lopsided scoreboard.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting, four assists and two rebounds. He shot 1-of-3 from 3 and went 7-of-8 on free throws. He also had two blocks.
When it comes to gameplanning for one of the NBA’s greatest scorers ever, you’ve seen teams try about every idea imaginable. Houston turned it up to the max with ball-denial. That meant anytime Gilgeous-Alexander was on the floor, the Rockets threw multiple defenders at him. Even if he didn’t have the ball. That forced him to get creative to get his usual looks.
The plan somewhat worked. Gilgeous-Alexander was mostly quiet for his standards. He only had 10 points in the first half. When he was given the chance, he relied on his mid-range jumper to get most of his buckets. Eventually, the bet didn’t matter as Houston’s offense was inept and OKC’s role players started to hit on their open jumpers. That type of trust from the reigning MVP is what builds long-term success.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
“I think at this point, I just come to understand that if you want to win, you don’t have a choice. And I think every offensive talent goes through that learning curve. Eventually, you’re not going to have a choice, and the teams are going to do certain things to give you no choice,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “The longer you fight it, the more you’ll fight growth. When I just think over the years, I just fought it less.”
As the Thunder ran away on the scoreboard, Gilgeous-Alexander only had one drama storyline left — would he reach 20 points? He hoped to extend his streak to 112 games. It’s second all-time, only behind NBA pantheon Wilt Chamberlain.
With the game already decided, Gilgeous-Alexander reached that mark. By the skin of his teeth, too. A couple of free-throw attempts sufficed before he eventually checked out. Not the prettiest box scores for his standard, but this is how you utilize the generational gravity he commands.
“I don’t have a certain where I want to be or should be. I’m just going through the process and going through the 82-game regular season,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Try to learn through every experience I go through. That our team goes through. Come out better and bigger.”