Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104–102 victory over the Boston Celtics, delivering a 35-point performance to break Wilt Chamberlain’s record for the most consecutive 20-point games (127 matches) in NBA history. Remarkably, the superstar guard admitted he was unaware he had reached the historic milestone until the home crowd erupted.
“I knew I was around there, but I didn’t know exactly how many,” Gilgeous-Alexander revealed during the post-game press conference. “Once I heard the crowd, I was like, ‘OK, that must have been it’”.
The record-breaking moment occurred at the 7:04 mark of the third quarter. After receiving an assist from Cason Wallace, Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down a signature foot-jumper to cross the 20-point threshold for the night. The Paycom Center immediately exploded in celebration, signaling to the Canadian guard that he had officially made history.
Chamberlain had held the record for 63 years, having recorded 126 consecutive 20-point games between 1961 and 1963. The achievement adds to an already legendary resume for Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the reigning NBA champion, Finals MVP, and regular-season MVP.
The Thunder currently sit atop the Western Conference with an impressive 52–15 record. Gilgeous-Alexander remains the focal point of the team’s success, ranking second in the league in scoring with 31.8 points per game, while contributing 4.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists through 55 appearances this season.
SGA credits team culture for individual success
While Gilgeous-Alexander’s resume now includes an NBA Championship, a Finals MVP, and a regular-season MVP, he was quick to deflect praise toward the Thunder organization and his teammates.
“Basketball is a five-man sport. You can’t win by yourself,” he said. “You need great teammates, great role players, a great coach. I like to think we have all of those. None of the things I accomplished would matter if we weren’t winning. And I probably wouldn’t have most of them if we weren’t winning. That’s why you play the game”.
Last season, the Thunder recorded a total of 84 victories across the regular season and playoffs, culminating in an NBA Championship following a 4–3 series win over the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals.
So far this season, the team has already tallied 52 wins. With Shai continuing to perform at an elite level, that total is expected to climb significantly as the franchise looks to defend its title.