It’s impossible to look past Wilt Chamberlain’s name in the NBA’s record book.
Well, his long list of records got one thinner on Thursday night as Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 or more points for the 127th game in a row. SGA tied the streak on Monday as he dazzled with a 35-point performance and a game-winning three against the Nuggets that may have been his MVP moment.
On Thursday against the Celtics, it was presumed he would break Chamberlain’s record. He hasn’t failed to reach 20 points in a game since 2024, so why now? He had a strong start to the game with 10 points in the first quarter, but the big shot wouldn’t come until the second half.
The moment came midway through the third quarter on a smooth fadeaway jumper over Boston’s Baylor Scheierman. You could see endless phones in the air to capture the history at hand as the Paycom Center crowd erupted once Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot snapped the net and tied the game.
SGA HAS PASSED WILT FOR THE LONGEST 20+ POINT STREAK IN NBA HISTORY 🚨
— NBA (@NBA) March 13, 2026
Shai: 127
Wilt: 126 pic.twitter.com/Fftlo3ISrY
Now that the longstanding Chamberlain record is Gilgeous-Alexander’s, the biggest question is how long it will last. He’s averaging 31.7 points per game this year after he led the league in scoring with 32.7 a night on his way to MVP honors for the first time last season. Odds are that SGA’s 20-point games streak will continue to grow, but let’s dig deeper.
Could SGA’s streak of consecutive 20-point games end this season?
It’s unlikely, but not impossible. For a streak like this, it just takes one off night or a premature exit to go back to zero. When you consider that Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t scored less than 20 points in 127 games and there are only 15 games left on the Thunder’s schedule, though, this thing will likely balloon for some time.
It is March, though, which means weirdness is the norm across the NBA. The Spurs remain just behind the Thunder for the Western Conference’s top seed and Gilgeous-Alexander must continue playing to remain eligible for key postseason honors, especially as the MVP frontrunner.
Seeing as SGA will likely be available as long as he’s healthy the rest of the way, let’s take a look at Oklahoma City’s schedule and how he fares against specific opponents. The Thunder’s toughest remaining games are against the Pistons, Celtics, Knicks, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Lakers (twice) and Magic.
Interestingly enough, Orlando is the one to circle of that group. Not because the Magic have surged as of late, but because Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points on the nose against Orlando last month. During that contest, he suffered an abdominal strain which kept him out for nine games. But he still played 28 minutes and barely kept the streak alive with a free throw at the end of the third quarter before he was subbed out with the Thunder up big.
Gilgeous-Alexander had another close call a couple weeks earlier with 20 points exactly in 33 minutes against the Rockets. He’s had two 23-point games early in the season, plus a 22-point night in a loss to the Spurs on Christmas Day and 21 points as OKC was blown out by the Hornets on Jan. 5. None of those teams are left on the schedule, which leaves Orlando as the only opponent from a previous close call this season. The Pistons are another interesting opponent as a staunch defensive team who Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t played this season, inactive for the one previous matchup on Feb. 25.
You never know what any game could hold, though, as evidenced by Bam Adebayo’s 83-point night on Tuesday. With that in mind, here’s how SGA has performed against the toughest opponents the Thunder will play over the final chunk of the regular season:
| Opponent | Appearances against opponent this season | Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring average |
|---|---|---|
| Celtics | 1 | 35 |
| Magic | 1 | 20 |
| Knicks | 1 | 26 |
| Nuggets | 3 | 35 |
| Timberwolves | 3 | 35 |
| Lakers | 1 | 30 |
| Pistons | 0 (inactive in one previous matchup) | N/A |
What are the longest streaks of consecutive 20-point games in NBA history?
There have been some impressive streaks of consecutive 20-point games. Before Gilgeous-Alexander started to climb the mountaintop, Chamberlain held the two longest streaks. Here’s a look at the most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history according to ESPN:
| Player | Consecutive 20-point games | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 127 (active) | 2024–26 |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 126 | 1961–63 |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 92 | 1963–64 |
| Oscar Robertson | 79 | 1963–64 |
| Kevin Durant | 72 | 2015–16 |
| Michael Jordan | 72 | 1987–88 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 71 | 1971–72 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 70 | 1970–71 |
| Michael Jordan | 69 | 1990–91 |
| Elgin Baylor | 64 | 1961–62 |
Gilgeous-Alexander now stands alone in this piece of NBA history. The only question now is how far his streak will go.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Breaks Wilt Chamberlain Record: When Could Thunder Star’s Feat End?.
