As an NBA champion and two-time MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't have much more to prove. So, when his streak of 141 regular-season games with 20+ points was in jeopardy last night against the Denver Nuggets, SGA didn't force the issue.
Instead, Gilgeous-Alexander checked out with 1:43 to go, his team up 17. His postgame explanation for why he didn't chase the record says everything about him.
“I was gonna go out there," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "And then I saw that they had subbed. So, I thought we should sub too. You always treat the game with respect.”
Gilgeous-Alexander's selflessness didn't get lost on Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.
“It’s a historic record, so it’s a bit of a dilemma if you’re in my position," Daigneault said. "But he put me in a great position there. I would have left him. I was gonna leave him (in). ... Just another reason on the list why I admire him”
The Thunder are the first Western Conference team to 2-0 after Opening Week wins over the San Antonio Spurs and Nuggets. Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. are playing hungry after falling to San Antonio in the 2026 Western Conference Finals.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ends his 20-point streak with absolute class