Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — known in shorthand as sga — is one game away from surpassing Wilt Chamberlain’s long-standing mark of 126 consecutive games with at least 20 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder travel to Boston on Thursday at 9: 30 p. m. ET. The streak began Nov. 1, 2024, and the Thunder enter the matchup leading the Western Conference. At stake is a piece of NBA history that has stood since 1963.
Sga chases Chamberlain’s 126-game mark
The elite run has been detailed in sharp numbers: 126 straight games with at least 20 points, an average of 32. 5 points per game across that span, 85 games of 30-plus points, 18 games of 40-plus and all five of his career 50-point games. The streak began with a 30-point night on Nov. 1, 2024, and continued through a 32-point effort that included a game-winning three-pointer with 2. 7 seconds remaining in a victory over the Denver Nuggets most recently on Monday. Chamberlain’s original streak ran from 1961 to 1963 and ended when he only logged four minutes in a game on Jan. 20, 1963.
Immediate reactions and voices in the room
“It’s still a lot to even wrap my head around it, ” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, reigning MVP of the Oklahoma City Thunder, said about the possibility of matching the mark. Olin Chamberlain, nephew of Wilt Chamberlain, said of the family’s view on Wilt’s records, “He has so many that one won’t affect it. ” Michelle Smith, niece of Wilt Chamberlain, said family members would be proud if the record is challenged and noted the family’s support for players who push those historic marks. Sonny Hill, 76ers’ executive advisor to the CEO, underscored Wilt’s legacy: “When people begin to speak about Wilt, they just can’t believe all that he accomplished. ”
Quick context
Oklahoma City sits atop the Western Conference and holds a margin over the San Antonio Spurs entering Thursday play; Boston is second in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics will be without Jayson Tatum for the matchup as he manages a right Achilles issue after an earlier return in March.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak has survived unusual pressures: heavy scoring loads, sitting out fourth quarters in blowouts and stretches when the team’s dominance limited his minutes. The modern runs of other star scorers remain well short of this mark, underscoring how rare the achievement would be.
What happens Thursday will reverberate immediately. If sga reaches 127 consecutive games with at least 20 points, he will hold a record that has stood for more than six decades; if the streak ends, Chamberlain’s 126-game mark remains intact and discussion will pivot to how modern play affects longevity and usage.
Next steps: watch Thursday’s tipoff at 9: 30 p. m. ET and the in-game minutes management for Gilgeous-Alexander, plus how Boston’s rotation adapts without its star scorer. The broader season implications include playoff seeding dynamics for both clubs and whether historic narratives about scoring streaks shift in real time as teams and players react on the court.
