The Oklahoma City Thunder edged the Boston Celtics 104–102 on Thursday night as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to extend his streak of games with at least 20 points to 127, breaking the long-standing record set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1963. He reached the milestone with a midrange jumper midway through the third quarter and finished with nine assists and six rebounds while shooting 13 of 18 from the field.
The Thunder secured the win in the final second. With the game tied at 102, Chet Holmgren grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled with 0.9 seconds remaining. Holmgren calmly made both free throws, and Payton Pritchard missed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Oklahoma City has now won seven straight games, all coming 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 work his way back after surgery to repair his right Achilles tendon. Tatum has appeared in three games since returning, including Tuesday’s loss at San Antonio.
The matchup between the defending champion Thunder, owners of the league’s best record, and the 2024 champion Celtics, who sit second in the Eastern Conference, remained tight throughout the night.
Gilgeous-Alexander hit a pull-up jumper with just over a minute remaining to break a 98–98 tie, but Brown answered with two free throws with 50.8 seconds left. Gilgeous-Alexander then knocked down another midrange jumper with 29.6 seconds remaining to give Oklahoma City a 102–100 lead before Brown tied the game again with a turnaround shot.
On the final possession, Gilgeous-Alexander found an open Alex Caruso for a 3-pointer that missed, but Holmgren secured the rebound and drew the foul that decided the game.
Up next: The Boston Celtics host the Washington Wizards on Saturday. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
