Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 52 in losses to fighters

San Francisco-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s second career 50-point games-and for the second over the course of four matches not a cause of partying.

That’s because it happened in a rare loss to the western conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, who fell to the Golden State Warrior’s 116-109 Wednesday night despite Gilgeous-Alexander pouring 52 points.

“That stinks. Me personally I play to win,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “Winning comes first and foremost, and if I don’t win, I’m not satisfied. So maybe my 52 points tonight weren’t in the team’s best interest.”

Gilgeous-Alexander became the first player in the league with several 50-point performances this season; He scored a career high 54 points in Thunder’s 22nd January victory over Utah Jazz. He joined Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the only players in the franchise story with several 50-point performances in one season.

Gilgeous-Alexander, NBA’s scoring leader of 32.5 points per Fight, ended 16-of-29 from the floor and 18-of-21 from the line, the most free throwing attempts in his career.

“He’s cold,” Warriors said Andrew Wiggins. “He’s tough. He can score on all three levels, he gets to the bad line and he doesn’t stop. The whole game he’s on you. … We did the best we can.”

Gilgeous-Alexander was at a blistering start at the Chase Center as Thunder (37-9) jumped to a 14-point lead in the first quarter when he had 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor. It was a spectacular view of ball action, body control and shot when Gilgeous-Alexander cut a Golden State defense that often committed another defender for him.

“Sometimes, even when you’re out there, you’re kind of caught and watching,” said Thunder tip Jalen Williams, who scored 26 points on 12-of-26 shooting. “Because he comes to places on the floor that you shouldn’t be able to how the defense guard him. And that’s a bit of the things you got to click a little out of it and don’t get caught and look at and be ready To be a outlets for him or cut or still be engaged in the offense.

It was the second time in two weeks that Gilgeous-Alexander has on one-handed out-scoring the opposing team in the first quarter that no other player in the league has done more than once this season, according to ESPN Research.

In the first, it was kept at 75 points on 37.3% shooting when Warriors gathered.

“There is probably a trend in those situations where he just hums (to be caught and see Gilgeous-Alexander).” Thunder -Trainer Mark DaignUnult said. “But we also have an identity as a team. We have a lot of guys who have confidence. We must be that team regardless of context. Whether he has a off evening that doesn’t happen often or if he has a night like tonight .

As Thunder struggled to generate offense from others, DaigneAult adjusted his rotation in the fourth quarter to cut his superstar rest short. Gilgeous-Alexander checked back with the scoring tied and 9:55 back, about three minutes earlier than usual.

“I don’t know what to do with Shai,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “I asked Mark to just leave him on the bench for a few minutes more and he didn’t adhere to. I got down to Mark and said, ‘You can’t give him as two minutes anymore. It would be really useful to us.’ And Mark just laughed.

But the warriors pulled away down the stretch. Gilgeous-Alexander’s last two buckets came in the last minute when Warriors were up with three holding margins.

“I want to see the game over, see where I could have been better and trying to win the game is most important to me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I am not satisfied. This does not feel as good as the second (50-point performance) did because of L.”

ESPNS OHM Youngmisuk contributed to this report.