Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reacts After Tying Wilt Chamberlain Record

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied Wilt Chamberlain’s record for consecutive 20-point games Monday night, and when asked about it afterward, he was honest: he tries not to think about it.

“I don’t know. It’s still a lot to even wrap my head around,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after Oklahoma City’s 129-126 win over the Denver Nuggets. “And to be honest with you, I try not to even think about it, especially during the season.”

He reached the milestone — 126 straight games with at least 20 points — in the third quarter, matching a streak Chamberlain built between 1961 and 1963 across two franchises and one of the most dominant individual runs in basketball history. Gilgeous-Alexander can break it outright Thursday when the Boston Celtics visit Paycom Center.

The setting on Monday was fittingly dramatic. With Denver rallying to tie the game in the final seconds, Gilgeous-Alexander elevated over Spencer Jones and drained a step-back 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left to seal it. He finished with 35 points, nine rebounds and a career-high 15 assists without committing a turnover — becoming just the second player in NBA history to post those numbers in a single game.

Chamberlain’s streak began during the 1961-62 season with the Philadelphia Warriors, a run that included his 100-point performance against the New York Knicks. It ended Jan. 20, 1963, when Chamberlain played just four minutes for the San Francisco Warriors against the St. Louis Hawks.

Nuggets coach David Adelman, asked about Gilgeous-Alexander before tip-off, didn’t need much prompting to put the record in perspective.

“The name that he is up there with is Wilt,” Adelman said. “If you love this game, you should love the history of it.”

Gilgeous-Alexander was asked directly what it means to have his name in that conversation. He didn’t brush it off — he just needed a moment to place it.

“Being in a conversation with a guy like that — it’s special,” he said. “It’s crazy to think that where I was 10 years ago, I’d be here today.”

But when the subject turned from the past to the present, his answer shifted. Oklahoma City is chasing a championship, and that’s where Gilgeous-Alexander said his energy actually goes on a night-to-night basis.

“So many things have to go right for you to get what you ultimately want, and that gets 100 percent of my focus, especially basketball-wise,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.

Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 50 points five times during the streak, topping out at a career-high 55 against Indiana earlier this season. He was last held below 20 on Oct. 30, 2024, when he scored 18 against San Antonio. Oklahoma City improved to 5-0 with him in the lineup since returning from a nine-game absence caused by an abdominal strain.

Asked to reflect on what the streak says about his career arc, he landed on something straightforward.

“You work hard, you trust the process, and you look up and great things can happen for you,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I’m a testament to that.”