Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Equals Wilt Chamberlain's Legendary 20-Point Streak Record
Wilt Chamberlain holds numerous NBA records that many consider untouchable, such as scoring 100 points in a single game, accumulating 4,000 points in a season, and maintaining a 50-point-per-game average. Therefore, when any player manages to match or surpass one of his achievements, it becomes a significant event in the sport's history.
Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has now accomplished this feat by tying Chamberlain's record of 126 consecutive regular-season games with at least 20 points. He achieved this milestone on Monday night, scoring 35 points and adding a career-high 15 assists in the Thunder's 129-126 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
"It's crazy to think that where I was 10 years ago, I'd be here today," Gilgeous-Alexander remarked after the game.
A Legacy of Accolades
This record is the latest in a series of honours for Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and the league's scoring champion last season while leading the Thunder to the championship. He is also widely regarded as a frontrunner for the MVP award this season.
Despite the attention, Gilgeous-Alexander stated that he avoids focusing too much on the scoring streak. "It's still a lot to even wrap my head around," he said. "To be honest with you, I try to not even think about it — especially during the season. So much is going on, so many things have to go right for you to get what you ultimately want, and that gets 100% of my focus, especially basketball-wise."
He will have the opportunity to extend the streak to 127 games on Thursday when the Thunder face the Boston Celtics.
Inside the Numbers: Comparing the Streaks
A detailed comparison of the two historic streaks reveals fascinating insights:
- The Thunder's record during Gilgeous-Alexander's streak is 102-24, while the Warriors' record during Chamberlain's streak was 66-60.
- Chamberlain's highest-scoring game during his streak was the NBA-record 100-point performance for the then-Philadelphia Warriors against New York on March 2, 1962.
- Gilgeous-Alexander's highest-scoring game during the streak is 55 points, achieved against Indiana on October 23. Chamberlain had 42 games with 55 points or more during his run.
- Gilgeous-Alexander has two games with exactly 20 points during his streak, whereas Chamberlain's lowest game was 23 points in an overtime loss to Boston, with all points scored in regulation.
- Gilgeous-Alexander averages 32.5 points per game during his streak, compared to Chamberlain's average of 49.2 points per game.
- Gilgeous-Alexander's shooting percentage is .535, while Chamberlain's was .511.
How Chamberlain's Streak Ended
The 126th and final game of Chamberlain's streak occurred on January 19, 1963, in St. Louis. He played all 48 minutes, finishing with 35 points and 21 rebounds in a 116-114 loss to the Hawks.
The teams played again the following night, but Chamberlain was ejected after about four minutes due to "abusive language" used while protesting a foul call against teammate Wayne Hightower. He finished with only six points, causing his scoring average to drop from 47.0 to 46.2 per game in one evening and incurring a mandatory fine of at least $50 from the NBA.
What Happened Next for Chamberlain
Chamberlain restarted his 20-point streak in San Francisco's next game on January 22, 1963, against Detroit, scoring 39 points. He then went on to score at least 20 points in his next 20 games, suggesting he could have extended the streak to 147 games if not for the ejection.
His next sub-20-point game was on February 24, 1963, back in St. Louis, where he strangely passed up open shots and finished with 13 points in a 127-106 loss to the Hawks.
Other Notable 20-Point Streaks
Chamberlain had five other streaks of at least 30 games with 20 or more points, including runs of 92, 62, 56, 47, and 30 games. His 92-game streak is the third-longest in NBA history, behind Oscar Robertson's 79-game streak and ahead of Kevin Durant and Michael Jordan's 72-game runs.
Jordan had seven instances of scoring 20 points or more in at least 30 consecutive games, while Chamberlain had six, Robertson five, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, and LeBron James each had four.
Regular Season vs. Playoff Games
When including both regular season and playoff games, Chamberlain still holds the record for the longest 20-point streaks. His January 20, 1963, game ended a 141-game streak that included playoffs, and he also had a 104-game run with postseason contests.
Robertson and Baylor both achieved 89 consecutive games when adding playoffs, tying for the third-longest such streaks. Gilgeous-Alexander had three games below 20 points during last season's playoff run, so his current streak including playoffs is 63 games, the second-longest of his career after a 72-game run that ended in the 2025 postseason.
