Shai Gilgeous-Alexander flirted with history Sunday night — and when the moment arrived, he delivered.
With the crowd on its feet chanting “M-V-P,” Gilgeous-Alexander calmly sank a late free throw to reach 20 points and extend his streak to 128 consecutive games with at least 20, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116–103 for their eighth straight victory.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 20 points and 10 assists, though the milestone nearly slipped away. He entered the fourth quarter with just 10 points after struggling through the first three periods and briefly resting before checking back in with 7:10 remaining.
With 1:46 left, he created space with a stepback jumper over Anthony Edwards and drew a foul, bringing his total to 19. Moments later, he buried the free throw to keep the streak alive and push it beyond the old mark of 126 set by Wilt Chamberlain.
Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Isaiah Joe added 20 as Oklahoma City improved to an NBA-best 53–15.
Julius Randle scored 32 points to lead Minnesota, while Edwards finished with 19.
The Thunder dominated the possession battle, forcing 22 turnovers while committing just seven. That advantage led to a significant shot gap — Oklahoma City attempted 101 field goals compared to Minnesota’s 77.
Oklahoma City opened the game on a 9–0 run and held the Timberwolves scoreless for nearly the first three minutes. Minnesota regrouped and took control before halftime, building a 53–47 lead as Gilgeous-Alexander managed just four points on 2-for-10 shooting in the first half.
The Timberwolves stretched their lead to 68–59 midway through the third quarter before Oklahoma City rallied. A 3-pointer by Jaylin Williams that bounced on the rim before dropping gave the Thunder a 78–73 edge, and they carried an 80–76 lead into the fourth.
Oklahoma City seized control early in the final period with a pair of highlight passes from Isaiah Hartenstein. On the first, he fired a no-look, behind-the-back pass to Jared McCain for a 3-pointer that made it 91–80. Moments later, Hartenstein delivered another creative feed that led to another McCain three, stretching the lead to 94–81.
Up next: The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, while the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Orlando Magic the same night.
