HOUSTON — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has the biggest bargaining chip of them all: An NBA championship.
And yet the Thunder guard has been speaking in non-negotiable terms far more often this season, especially during OKC’s 6-6 stretch from Dec. 13-Jan. 5.
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“We need to get better,” he constantly claims, usually before making another go-to statement. “We have no choice.”
There’s no room for misinterpretation with Gilgeous-Alexander’s words, just like there’s no room for compromises. No room for the Thunder to get comfortable during its journey toward a second straight championship, as seen with its recent bump in the road.
“We almost got a little comfortable in a way where you are just beating teams and expecting to win,” Thunder forward Jalen Williams said recently. “We didn’t have enough humility or humbleness (while) going about how we’re winning the games. I don’t think we were going about that process the right way the last couple of games.”
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That’s no longer the case. OKC (35-7) is on a five-game winning streak following its 111-91 road win at Houston on Thursday, and it’s doing all the things it needs to do if it wants to stay atop the NBA.
Things it learned were non-negotiable during a title run that not only changed the young Thunder players’ lives but changed their perspective.
“Playing on that high of a level and playing when the games matter that much,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “When you’re so close but so far from your ultimate dream as a kid. It’s very hard to understand that without going through that. The emotions, the confusion and everything that goes into it. I think everyone would tell you their perspective is completely different (after winning a championship).
“It’s almost like having a kid. You don’t know what it’s like until you have one.”
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OKC won’t always be at full strength defensively.
Isaiah Hartenstein has missed the past 10 games due to a right soleus strain, and Jaylin Williams recently returned from a 13-game absence due to right heel bursitis. That left the Thunder short-handed in the frontcourt during its rough stretch, and it ranked 21st in opponent offensive rebounds per game (12.1) as a result.
But the biggest non-negotiable on defense is OKC’s intensity, which has been on full display during its winning streak.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 15: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on January 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
It has gone the distance in slugfests, like when Ajay Mitchell received a black eye while reaching in for a steal during an overtime win over Utah. It has come up big against larger opponents, like when 6-foot-5 guard Alex Caruso helped stifle 7-4 forward Victor Wembanyama during a blowout win over San Antonio.
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And it has extinguished the hottest scorers with smothering coverage, like when Lu Dort led a platoon of point-of-attack defenders that held Kevin Durant to just 19 points on 7-for-23 shooting from the field (0 for 5 from deep).
“One of the marks of this team is they’re ready to go when the ball goes up in the air, more often than not,” head coach Mark Daigneault said of OKC’s intensity. “No team is optimal in terms of competitiveness, in terms of anything, for 82 games. But this team, for years now, has done a really good job of bringing it on most nights. And we have continued to. That’s one of the things I trust most about our group.”
OKC won’t always shoot the ball well either.
The Thunder only ranked 17th in points per game (116.3) during its rough stretch compared to second (123.6 points) before it. It also ranked to 12th in field goal percentage (47%) and 24th in 3-point percentage (33%).
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But the biggest non-negotiable on offense is OKC’s shot selection, which has returned to form.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 15: Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dunks the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on January 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
It has aimed for the most makable looks, like when Jalen Williams abandoned the 3-point line entirely and attacked the rim at will for 26 points during a win over Memphis. And it has surveyed the floor at times when others would get tunnel vision, like when Gilgeous-Alexander still dished out eight assists on a night when he racked up 29 points during a win over Miami.
“We understand that in the biggest games,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, “when it matters the most, that’s what gets you over the hump. Not forcing anything. Just letting the game come to you. Playing for each other.”
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OKC had sky-high expectations after its 24-1 start to the season. A record that tied for the best start by any team in NBA history. Now, it seems to be taking off again.
But there’s no cruising altitude for the Thunder. It’ll surely hit some turbulence again at some point. And when it does, it’ll have to stick to the non-negotiables that helped it win its first championship in franchise history.
It’ll have no choice, as Gilgeous-Alexander puts it.
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: SGA, Thunder have ‘completely different’ perspective after NBA title