Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prioritizes improvement over historic win totals

Dec 14, 2025 5:38 PM

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t dwell on the disappointment after the Oklahoma City Thunder suffered only their second loss of the season, falling to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup semifinals.

Rather than letting the setback linger, he framed the moment as an opportunity for reflection and growth, stressing that short-term frustration can still serve a long-term purpose if the team responds the right way.

When the conversation turned to the Thunder’s blistering pace and the idea of chasing historic regular-season win totals, Gilgeous-Alexander made it clear that those kinds of milestones are not driving Oklahoma City’s mindset.

“Seventy-three and nine? I mean, the position we’re in right now, what are we, 24-2? My goal is to get better,” he said.

From his perspective, improvement matters far more than projecting outcomes months in advance.

“So if we get better than what we are now, that should take care of itself. That’s kind of how I see it. Goals to me are pointless trying to reach at when they are so far away.”

For Gilgeous-Alexander, the loss served as a reminder that progress is built incrementally and that skipping steps can quickly derail bigger ambitions.

“You have to take care of everything step-by-step, and tonight we didn’t,” he said, adding a blunt assessment of what happens if bad habits pile up. “If we stack nights like we did tonight, we won’t even come close to it.”

He also emphasized that the Thunder are well aware that talent and record alone are never enough in the NBA. Complacency, in his view, is the quickest way to invite losses.

“We can’t be spoiled,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We can’t think we’re above anything.”

He stressed that every team, regardless of standing, must consistently bring the right approach to win.

“Us, along with every team in the league, if you show up on a night and don’t do the necessary thing to win, you probably won’t win, no matter how talented or no matter what your record looks like. That was the case for us tonight.”