Hamilton native Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has equaled an impressive NBA record set by Wilt Chamberlain, achieving 126 consecutive regular-season games with 20 or more points. This milestone was reached on Monday night as Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points and delivered a career-high 15 assists in the Thunder’s 129-126 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Reflecting on his journey, Gilgeous-Alexander expressed astonishment at his current achievements compared to where he was a decade ago.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s recent feat adds to his already illustrious career, which includes being named MVP, NBA Finals MVP, leading the league in scoring, and securing the league championship last season with the Thunder. He is also a top contender for this season’s MVP title. Despite his remarkable scoring streak, Gilgeous-Alexander remains focused on the bigger picture, emphasizing the need for all elements to align for success, particularly during the demanding basketball season.
The upcoming game against the Boston Celtics on Thursday presents Gilgeous-Alexander with an opportunity to extend his streak to 127 games. Comparing some key statistics between Gilgeous-Alexander’s and Chamberlain’s streaks reveals interesting insights:
– The Thunder’s record during Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak stands at an impressive 102-24.
– Chamberlain’s highest-scoring game during his streak was the legendary 100-point performance against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.
– Gilgeous-Alexander’s highest-scoring game during the streak was 55 points against the Indiana Pacers on October 23.
– Gilgeous-Alexander maintains a scoring average of 32.5 points per game during his streak, while Chamberlain averaged 49.2 points per game.
– The shooting percentage for Gilgeous-Alexander during his streak is .535, slightly higher than Chamberlain’s .511.
Looking back at Chamberlain’s record-breaking streak, it ended on January 19, 1963, in a game against the St. Louis Hawks where he scored 35 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in a narrow 116-114 loss. Subsequently, Chamberlain was ejected the following night after receiving two technical fouls for disputing a foul call, resulting in a sharp drop in his scoring average. However, he quickly resumed his scoring streak in the next game.
Chamberlain’s resilience was evident as he continued his impressive scoring run, even amidst on-court altercations. Had he not been ejected during that game, Chamberlain could have potentially extended his streak to 147 games.