Wilt Chamberlain set this record in 1963. For over six decades, it stood untouched. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finally ended that streak.
Gilgeous-Alexander posted 35 points in a 104-102 win over the Boston Celtics, scoring at least 20 points in his 127th consecutive NBA game to break the record that Chamberlain had held for over six decades. The record-breaking basket brought the home crowd at Paycom Center to its feet, and rightfully so.
The milestone came on a 20-foot jumper with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, and the significance of the moment was recognized in real time when the arena scoreboard displayed the achievement and the crowd delivered a standing ovation during the next timeout.
The streak began on November 1, 2024. Unlike Chamberlain’s legendary run which was fueled by astronomical volume and historic dominance in an era of far less athletic competition, SGA has built this streak through elite two-way consistency, finding different creative ways to reach 20 points every single night against modern NBA defenses.
To put the gap in perspective, the next-longest active streak in the league belongs to Kawhi Leonard at 43 games. Kevin Durant holds the only 21st-century streak to reach even half of SGA’s current mark at 72 consecutive games. Gilgeous-Alexander is operating in territory that simply has no modern comparison.
The Thunder have been the best team in the Western Conference all season, and Gilgeous-Alexander is the engine of everything they do. His scoring, his shot creation, his late-game decision making, and his ability to elevate in critical moments have all contributed to OKC’s position as the clear frontrunner for the number one seed.
The MVP race remains genuinely competitive heading into the final stretch. Luka Doncic is surging, Victor Wembanyama is playing at an elite two-way level, and Nikola Jokic is always a threat. But the record speaks to something that goes beyond any single night or any two-week hot streak.
As always, Gilgeous-Alexander kept his focus on what actually matters when asked about the milestone: records and accomplishments are great, but they do not matter if you do not win.
He won. He made history. And the Oklahoma City Thunder continue to look like the team nobody wants to face in the playoffs.
