SHAI Gilgeous-Alexander set a new NBA record for the most consecutive games with at least 20 points, finishing with 35 as the Oklahoma City Thunder edged the Boston Celtics 104-102 on Thursday night (Friday, March 13, 2026, in PH).
According to the Associated Press, Gilgeous-Alexander has now scored 20 or more points in 127 straight games, surpassing the previous mark of 126 set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1963.
The game was decided in the final second. Chet Holmgren was fouled while fighting for a rebound with 0.9 seconds left and calmly sank two free throws to snap a 102-all tie. Payton Pritchard then missed a long three-pointer at the buzzer for Boston.
Gilgeous-Alexander reached the milestone with a midrange jumper with 7:04 remaining in the third quarter that gave him 21 points and tied the game at 69. He made 13 of 18 shots and also had nine assists and
six rebounds.
The victory was the Thunder’s seventh straight, all since Gilgeous-Alexander returned from an abdominal strain that forced him to miss the All-Star Game.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 34 points. The Celtics were again without Jayson Tatum, who continues to ease back into action after surgery to repair his right Achilles tendon. Tatum has appeared in three games since returning, including Tuesday’s loss to San Antonio.
The matchup between the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, owners of the league’s best record, and the Boston Celtics, who sit second in the Eastern Conference, stayed close throughout.
Gilgeous-Alexander hit a pull-up jumper with just over a minute left to give Oklahoma City a 100-98 lead. Brown answered with two free throws to tie it with 50.8
seconds remaining.
Gilgeous-Alexander then knocked down another midrange jumper with 29.6 seconds left to put the Thunder ahead 102-100, but Brown tied the game again on a turnaround shot with 23 seconds remaining.
On the final possession, Gilgeous-Alexander found an open Alex Caruso for a three-pointer that missed, but Holmgren secured the rebound and drew the foul that led to the winning free throws.
Elsewhere in the NBA, Phoenix won 123-108 at Indiana, the Detroit Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers 131-109, and the Orlando Magic defeated the Washington Wizards 136-131 in overtime.
The Miami Heat topped the Milwaukee Bucks 112-105, Atlanta Hawks beat Brooklyn Nets 108-97, Dallas won 120-112 at Memphis, Denver prevailed 136-131 over San Antonio, and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls 142-130. / LBG