Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opens up after Wembanyama masterclass

When the Oklahoma City Thunder’s remarkable run hit a roadblock in the NBA Cup semifinals, the story wasn’t just about a narrow defeat. It was about a hugely impressive streak coming to an end at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs’ 7‑foot‑5 monster, Victor Wembanyama.

On Saturday night in Las Vegas, the Thunder lost 111-109 to the San Antonio Spurs, a result that put an end to their franchise-record 16-game winning streak. Victor Wembanyama, returning from a 12-game layoff due to a calf strain, was the catalyst.

In just 21 minutes, the Frenchman scored 22 points, pulled off nine rebounds and made life difficult for Oklahoma City on both ends of the court.

“Personally, I think it’s exciting... it will be a good challenge”

For Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s dynamic leader, the loss was a reminder that even great teams must face adversity. He led Oklahoma City with 29 points but also acknowledged his own struggles, including a season-high five turnovers.

“Personally, I think it’s exciting,” SGA told reporters after the game. “It’s easier to learn when you don’t feel the way you want to feel. It stings a little bit more.”

“We’ll also see these guys [twice in the next five] games. So, it will be a good challenge. Kind of like an automatic test, almost like in school. You fail the test, you get to retest a couple days later. That’s what it will probably feel like. Losing is where you find growth and where you really get better.”

“We got off to a decent start, but they won the last three quarters,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They outplayed us tonight. This was a close game, but they outplayed us and deserved to win. I’m not sure exactly what happened in terms of what flipped it. But out of the 48 minutes, I thought they outplayed us for the majority of that. It’s hard to win a game, or at least control a game, when that’s the case.”

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The NBA Cup final (the championship game of the 2025–26 NBA Cup) is scheduled for Tuesday, 16 December 2025.

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