OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan. 1, 2026: The calendar flipped to 2026, but the story in Oklahoma City remains terrifyingly the same for the rest of the NBA: The defending champions are a machine, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the engine that refuses to stall.
In a New Year’s Eve performance that felt less like a contest and more like a coronation, the Thunder dismantled the Portland Trail Blazers 124-95 on Wednesday night. Gilgeous-Alexander needed only three quarters to drop 30 points, efficiently dismantling the Blazers’ defense while extending his historic streak of scoring at least 20 points to a mind-boggling 105 consecutive games.
For the Thunder (29-5), it wasn’t just about the win—it was the suffocating manner in which they secured it.
The Streak Continues
While the headlines often drift toward flashy dunks or logo threes, Gilgeous-Alexander’s brilliance lies in his inevitability. He sank 11 of 15 shots and was perfect from the line (7-of-7), dissecting Portland with a surgical precision that allowed him to rest the entire fourth quarter.
“He just took over,” is the common refrain, and it happened again midway through the second quarter. With Portland hanging around at 60-53, SGA ignited a 13-2 run, scoring nine points in a blur that essentially put the game on ice before halftime.
Championship Depth on Display
While the MVP frontrunner dazzled, the Thunder’s supporting cast showcased why they are the reigning titleholders.
Sophomore sensation Ajay Mitchell provided a spark off the bench, pouring in 17 points on a flawless shooting night (4-of-4 FG, 8-of-8 FT). Meanwhile, Chet Holmgren anchored the paint with a season-high six blocks, adding a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) that kept Portland’s interior offense in a stranglehold. Jalen Williams filled the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, keeping the offense fluid.
The Thunder shot nearly 49% from the field and, perhaps most damning for Portland, turned 25 Trail Blazers turnovers into 28 easy points.
Blazers Fade Early
Portland (14-20) showed life early, hitting six of their first seven 3-pointers to score 30 in the first quarter. But the perimeter luck ran dry against OKC’s swarming defense. Sidy Cissoko led the Blazers with 19 points, and Deni Avdija added 17, but they had no answer for the Thunder’s second-quarter surge.
As the Thunder head into 2026 riding a three-game win streak, the rest of the league is left asking the same question as 2025: Does anyone have an answer for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?
