Marc Daigneault’s honest take on keeping SGA’s 20+ point streak alive

OKLAHOMA CITY — In a 128-92 victory against the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault watched All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extend his 20+ point streak to 121 on Tuesday. After Gilgeous-Alexander surpassed Wilt Chamberlain’s 92-game hitting streakwhich is the second-longest streak for a Hall of Fame center with 20+ points, SGA is looking at Chamberlain’s first, which is 126.

With the Thunder’s 29-point lead intact, Gilgeous-Alexander made his second of two free throws that pushed him over the 20-point mark with 2:14 left in the third quarter. Then he got back into the game in the final frame. After Tuesday’s victory, a reporter asked Daigneault if, amid the unconscious leadership, he sometimes helps move the SGA according to 20 points.

“We don’t talk about it. It was 25 to start the fourth quarter. I had Holmgren. And then, Dort, Wallace and Hartenstein there,” Daigneault said. “With the NBA 3-point line, you can’t really pull the plug that early unless it’s 40 or something. We’re playing to the point where we feel comfortable that the chances of the other team coming back are so low that we’re good, and then we’ll go from there.”

Marc Daigneault on whether they tried to help Shai get 20 points to keep the streak alive:

“We don’t talk about it. With the 3-point line, you can’t really pull the plug that early unless it’s 40” pic.twitter.com/u2v3Ov3kvE

— Oh no, it’s not (@ohnohedidnt24) February 4, 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander is just five straight 20+ point performances away from tying Chamberlain’s record. SGA finished with 20 points on 8-for-22 shooting, including 1-for-3 from deep, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals. Mark Daigneault, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will face the Spurs in their final game of the regular season.

SGA’s honest take on developing as a player with Thunder

Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflected on his offensive evolution over the years. Finding a healthy balance of when to ease up and take matters into his own hands helped him blossom into one of the NBA’s elite scorers.

For Gilgeous-Alexander, finding ways to adapt to opposing teams’ defenses as the Thunder’s number one option led to his growth as an NBA player.

“As I go through my career and I go through seasons, and games, and I see different coverages and different body types, I’m just trying to grow,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And the better you are at individual scoring, the more they make you pass. That’s the way it goes. And I’d be doing myself a disservice not to rely on that and not work on that kind of stuff. I just try to take what the defense gives me, and I’m always at their mercy.”

Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will face the Spurs for the second night of back-to-back games on Wednesday.