For nearly 43 minutes on Sunday, it looked like history would have to wait. Portland Trail Blazers defensive ace Toumani Camara had Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a straitjacket, holding the reigning MVP to just 16 points. Then the fourth quarter takeover happened, and the Oklahoma City Thunder star reminded everyone why he owns the league’s most consistent scoring touch.
How Did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Make History Against Portland?
As pointed out by the NBA, Gilgeous-Alexander extended his streak of scoring at least 20 points to 93 consecutive games. This moved him past Wilt Chamberlain for the second-longest run in league history.
While Lakers star Luka Dončić currently leads the NBA with 35.1 points per game, Gilgeous-Alexander remains right on his heels at 32.5 despite frequently sitting out fourth quarters.
OKC is locked in 😳
They become the 4th team in NBA history to start a season 20-1 or better behind 26 points from Shai. pic.twitter.com/cQEEphkjIm
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) December 1, 2025
The only player standing between Shai and the all-time record is Chamberlain himself, who strung together 126 such games from 1961-63. This latest milestone didn’t come easy, though. Camara’s stifling defense forced the Thunder guard to dig deep late in the game.
With the game in the balance, the defending MVP poured in 10 clutch points to secure Oklahoma City’s 20th win of the season. The victory also avenged their only loss of the 2025-26 campaign, which came at the hands of these same Blazers.
If Gilgeous-Alexander maintains this pace and doesn’t miss any games, he could break Chamberlain’s record in 34 games-fittingly, against the Toronto Raptors in his home country of Canada.
Why Was Jalen Williams Unsurprised by the Record?
While Gilgeous-Alexander draws plenty of attention for his ability to get to the free-throw line, his teammates see the grind behind the glamour. Jalen Williams, who has watched Shai’s development firsthand, wasn’t shocked to hear about the new record.
“That’s pretty insane. I think seeing him work out in the summer, seeing him work tirelessly on his body and his craft, it’s not so much of a shock to me to hear that stat,” Williams said following the win. “He works hard enough, and he outworks a lot of the competition, to where it’s almost expected. Just how hard he works in trying to perfect his craft, it also doesn’t shock me.”
This level of consistency is rare even for superstars. While critics might focus on the whistle, the reality is that scoring 20 points every single night for over a year requires a level of focus that few players ever achieve.
