Lakers End Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 1,205-Day Streak on Sunday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Apr 6, 2025 6:40 PM ET

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has built a reputation for being what some would refer to as a "free-throw merchant." The three-time All-Star has a knack for baiting fouls and getting himself to the line, which has come to the attention of fans and opposing teams alike.

A testament to this fact is how Gilgeous-Alexander is currently attempting a league-high 8.0 free throws per game. He led the league in the same category last season with 7.6 attempts from the line, and he's upped this mark in 2024-25.

As a matter of fact, Gilgeous-Alexander has shot at least one free throw per game for over three years. The last time he did not go to the line in a game was in 2021.

The Los Angeles Lakers know this full well, which is why they came prepared for Sunday's Western Conference clash against OKC. So much so, that L.A. was able to end Gilgeous-Alexander's 1,205-day streak of attempting at least one free throw in a game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 0 FTA tonight.

It’s the first time he didn’t attempt a free throw in a game in 1,205 days — that’s over 3 years pic.twitter.com/cur8JMPaJh
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) April 6, 2025

Gilgeous-Alexander did not attempt a single free throw on Sunday as the Lakers blew out the Thunder, 126-99. The MVP frontrunner finished with 26 points on 12-of-23 shooting, three rebounds, nine assists, a steal, a block and two triples in 30 minutes of action.

It was far from enough for OKC.

The Lakers deserve a lot of credit for staying disciplined against Gilgeous-Alexander. No other team in the past three or so years has succeeded in not allowing the Thunder star to get to the line, and there's no denying that this is an incredible feat for L.A.'s defense.

With this big win, the Lakers were able to improve to 48-30 as they continue to hold on to the No. 3 spot in the West. The Thunder, however, have now lost back-to-back games, but are still entering the playoffs as the No. 1 seed with a 64-14 standing.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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