Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remained upbeat despite the Oklahoma City Thunder's defeat by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup semi-finals, insisting his side are excited at the prospect of bouncing back.

The Thunder suffered only their second loss of the season, while seeing their 16-game winning streak end, after going down 111-109 against the Spurs at T-Mobile Arena.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for Oklahoma with 29 points, while Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each totaled 17, though their efforts ultimately proved academic.

Despite the disappointment of the defeat, though, the point guard was not despondent by any means.

"Personally, I think it's exciting," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's easier to learn when you don't feel the way you want to feel. It stings a little bit more.

"We'll also see these guys [twice in the next five] games, so it will be a good challenge.

Final from Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/79Ul9MNobL

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 14, 2025

"[It's] like an automatic test, almost like in school: you fail the test, you get to retest a couple of days later. That's what it will probably feel like. Losing is where you find growth and where you really get better.

"We can't be spoiled. We can't think we're above anything. 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."

Oklahoma had established a 16-point lead during the second quarter, but they were eventually unable to avert a second defeat in 26 games.

"We got off to a decent start, but they won the last three quarters," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault added. "They outplayed us. This was a close game, but they outplayed us and deserved to win.

"I'm not sure exactly what happened in terms of what flipped it. But out of the 48 minutes, I thought they outplayed us for the majority of that. It's hard to win a game, or at least control a game, when that's the case."