March 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes up to the basket between Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) and guard Hugo Gonzalez (28) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, tying an NBA record for consecutive games with 20 or more points, and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-102 home win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
The reigning MVP scored at least 20 points 127 times in a row, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain’s (1963) NBA record.
But the Celtics and Jaylen Brown didn’t make it easy for the Thunder.
Boston was playing shorthanded. Jayson Tatum missed the game due to injury management after returning from a 10-month absence due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, and Derrick White was sidelined with a right knee contusion.
Brown has helped the Celtics stay afloat all season with Tatum out, and he did it again on Thursday, finishing with 34 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
MVP candidates from both teams came up big in the final minutes, but it was the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren who finished the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander gave Oklahoma City the lead on a pull-up jumper with 29.6 seconds left. Brown tied the score at 102-102 moments later with a turnaround fadeaway.
Gilgeous-Alexander found Alex Caruso on a corner 3-point attempt, but Caruso’s shot missed.
Holmgren grabbed the rebound and tried to come right back, but was fouled by Sam Hauser.
Holmgren made two free throws with 0.8 seconds left, and Payton Pritchard’s long 3-point attempt fell short, giving Oklahoma City the win.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 14 points in the fourth quarter and had nine assists, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
The Thunder extended their winning streak to seven. The Celtics stopped the streak after going 5-1.
Gilgeous-Alexander entered the second half with 17 points. It took him more than four minutes in the third quarter to hit the mark, and a pair of free throws moved him within a point.
On Oklahoma City’s next possession, Gilgeous-Alexander started dribbling just inside the arc, guarded by Baylor Scheierman. As Scheierman responded, Gilgeous-Alexander moved the ball from side to side and drained a 20-foot jumper to tie the game and earn a wild cheer from the home crowd.
–Field level media
