Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 21 points on 7-of-21 vs Hornets (Jan 5, 2026)
21 PTS · 7-of-21 FG · 1-of-6 3P · 6-of-6 FT · 29:36 MIN
Usual before this game: 31.9 PTS · 19.6 FGA · 33.1 MIN, from 34 regular-season games
Lowest Game Score of the 35 games the source holds this season: 11.8 against a usual 27.5 (-15.7)
Season-low 21 points among the games the source holds (previous low 22, set on Dec 25, 2025)
below usual
No more than 2 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far below their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far below the usual comes about once or twice a season.
How the score worksWhy did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander score 21 points?
In 29:36 against the Hornets on Jan 5, 2026, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points: 7-of-21 from the field (33.3%), 1-of-6 from three (16.7%), 6-of-6 on free throws (100.0%). Before this game, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.9 points on 19.6 shots in 33.1 minutes across 34 regular-season games. No earlier game the source holds this season was as low as 21 points. By Game Score it was the lowest of the 35 games the source holds this season. The rate from the field was 33.3%, against a usual 55.6%. Points by shot type, against the usual: two-pointers 12 (17.6), threes 3 (6.2), free throws 6 (8.1). Gilgeous-Alexander played 29:36 against a usual 33.1 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 14.4, against a usual 30.0. The Thunder lost 124-97 at home against the Hornets, a 27-point loss. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Gilgeous-Alexander in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (34 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 29:36 | 33.1 | -3.5 |
| Points | 21 | 31.9 | -10.9 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 21 · 33.3% | 19.6 · 55.6% | +1.4 · -22.3 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 6 · 16.7% | 4.9 · 43.0% | +1.1 · -26.3 |
| FTA · FT% | 6 · 100.0% | 9.1 · 88.7% | -3.1 · +11.3 |
| Rebounds | 2 | 4.5 | -2.5 |
| Assists | 6 | 6.4 | -0.4 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1.9 | +0.1 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 34 games | 37.2 | 33.5 | +3.7 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 14.4 | 30.0 | -15.6 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (34 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 3 (1-of-6) | 6.2 (2.1-of-4.9) | -3.2 |
| Twos | 12 (6-of-15) | 17.6 (8.8-of-14.7) | -5.6 |
| Free throws | 6 (6-of-6) | 8.1 (8.1-of-9.1) | -2.1 |
| Total | 21 | 31.9 | -10.9 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
11.8 against a usual 27.5 (-15.7)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | -13.1 |
| Rebounds | -0.9 |
| Assists | -0.3 |
| Steals and blocks | -1.3 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -0.1 |
| Total | -15.7 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Lowest Game Score of the 35 games the source holds this season.
Previous lowest: 12.4, set on Jan 4, 2026.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Thunder lost 124-97 at home against the Hornets, a 27-point loss.
- Previous appearance: Jan 4, 2026, 1 day earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Hornets this season: 33 points (Nov 15, 2025).
- The source holds fewer Thunder games than this season has, so season highs, lows and ranks count only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.