Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 52 in loss to Warriors - ESPN

SAN FRANCISCO — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's second career 50-point game — and second in the span of four games — was not a cause for celebration.

That's because it occurred in a rare loss for the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, who fell to the Golden State Warriors 116-109 on Wednesday night despite Gilgeous-Alexander pouring in 52 points.

«It sucks. Me personally, I play to win,» Gilgeous-Alexander said. «Winning comes first and foremost, and if I don't win, I am not satisfied. So maybe my 52 points tonight wasn't in the best interest of the team.»

Gilgeous-Alexander became the first player in the league with multiple 50-point performances this season; he scored a career-high 54 points in the Thunder's Jan. 22 home win over the Utah Jazz. He joined Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the only players in franchise history with multiple 50-point performances in a season.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA's scoring leader at 32.5 points per game, finished 16-of-29 from the floor and 18-of-21 from the line, the most free throw attempts of his career.

«He's cold,» Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins said. «He's tough. He can score at all three levels; he gets to the foul line and he doesn't stop. The whole game he's at you.… We did the best we can.»

Gilgeous-Alexander got off to a blistering start at Chase Center as the 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 display of ballhandling, body control and shot-making as Gilgeous-Alexander carved up a Golden State defense that frequently committed a second defender to him.

«Sometimes, even when you're out there, you kind of get caught watching,» said Thunder forward Jalen