Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Draws Praise From MVP Rival After Surpassing Wilt Chamberlain's Scoring Record 1 Mar 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammates pour water on him at the end of a game against the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Draws Praise From MVP Rival After Surpassing Wilt Chamberlain’s Scoring Record

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated Mar 13, 2026 6:56 AM ET

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke Wilt Chamberlain’s long-standing streak of most consecutive 20-point games during the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 104-102 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

The Oklahoma City Thunder star poured in 35 points (game-high), six rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and three blocks on 13-for-18 shooting from the field in 39 minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander naturally received plaudits for his efforts, including one from none other than Boston Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown.

“Credit to him and his work ethic and his game, how he’s improved over the years,” Brown said of Gilgeous-Alexander via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “I think the signs of greatness is just how consistent (Gilgeous-Alexander is). That’s very impressive.”

Gilgeous-Alexander’s 20-point streak started on November 1, 2024, and he has averaged 32.5 points during his 127-game run. The reigning league MVP averages 31.8 points per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder this campaign.

Oklahoma City Thunder News: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflects on passing Wilt Chamberlain’s long-standing scoring record

During his postgame presser, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander used the opportunity to pay tribute to his Oklahoma City Thunder teammates, coaching staff, management, and fans for their support during his 20-point streak.

“I’ve just had so much fun playing basketball in the last year and a half,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “It’s probably because I’ve done a lot of winning. But just the group of guys, they always make losing lighthearted and winning super fun. When you stay in the right mind frame, stay together, stay connected as a unit and just have fun throughout the whole process, you get the best out of things.”

“The whole life of the streak has not prevented us from having a ton of team success and hasn’t prevented his teammates from having success, either,” head coach Mark Daigneault added. “An individual streak that’s about scoring has not come at the expense of his team or his teammates.”

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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