History at Paycom: SGA Eclipses Wilt as Thunder Edge Celtics

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The Oklahoma City Thunder (51–15) secured a 104–102 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night, March 12, 2026. While the game featured a dramatic finish involving the league’s top two championship contenders, the night belonged to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who etched his name into the NBA record books by breaking a mark held by Wilt Chamberlain for over six decades.

The New King of Consistency

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the night with 35 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds. However, it was a midrange jumper with 7:04 remaining in the third quarter that made history.

SAY IT WITH US 🗣️ #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/AhCxJdysUg

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 13, 2026

The Record: With that basket, SGA reached 21 points for the night, marking his 127th consecutive game scoring 20 or more points.
Surpassing a Legend: He officially broke the NBA record of 126 straight games set by Wilt Chamberlain between 1961 and 1963.
The Streak: Gilgeous-Alexander has not been held under 20 points since October 30, 2024. During this 127-game run, the Thunder have maintained an incredible 103–24 record.

“To be mentioned in the same breath as Wilt is an honor I don’t take lightly,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But the win matters most. We’re building something here, and consistency is the only way to get where we want to go.”

The Finish: Holmgren’s Ice-Cold Free Throws

The matchup between the defending champion Thunder and the 2024 champion Celtics was a defensive masterclass, featuring 19 lead changes and 14 ties.

With the game knotted at 102–102 and only seconds remaining, the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren grabbed a critical offensive rebound off an Alex Caruso miss and was fouled by Sam Hauser with 0.8 seconds on the clock.

Clutch Gene: Holmgren stepped to the line and calmly sank both free throws to put OKC up by two.
The Miss: Boston’s Payton Pritchard attempted a desperation 70-foot heave at the buzzer that clanked off the backboard, sealing the Thunder’s seventh consecutive victory.

Box Score Standouts: OKC 104, BOS 102

Player	Team	Stats	Key Contribution
S. Gilgeous-Alexander	OKC	35 PTS, 9 AST, 6 REB	Broke Wilt’s 63-year-old record.
Jaylen Brown	BOS	34 PTS, 7 AST, 6 REB	Carried Boston with Tatum (Achilles) out.
Chet Holmgren	OKC	14 PTS, 9 REB	Hit the game-winning free throws.
Payton Pritchard	BOS	14 PTS, 4 AST	Started in place of Derrick White (Knee).

A Short-Handed Battle

The Celtics (43–22) fought valiantly despite missing two-thirds of their core. Jayson Tatum sat out for injury management following his recent return from Achilles surgery, and Derrick White was sidelined with a knee contusion. Jaylen Brown shouldered the load, scoring 34 points and hitting a turnaround fadeaway with 23 seconds left to tie the game before the final sequence.

Up Next

Boston: Heads back home to face the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
Oklahoma City: Continues their homestand against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in a battle for the top spot in the West.