Thunder 104, Celtics 102: The Day After Report

Box Score | Play-by-Play

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has now scored 20+ points in more games consecutively than any other player in NBA history. I mean, when you break a record previously owned by Wilt Chamberlain, that's usually a pretty good thing.

In the process, the Oklahoma City Thunder edged the Boston Celtics 104-102 in a defensive battle. With the win, OKC extends its win streak to 7 games.

Nuggets & Notes

• Right from the tip, Boston’s entire defensive plan revolved around one thing: stopping Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from extending his historic 20-point streak. Bodies were waiting for him at the nail, help defenders loaded the paint, and the Celtics were clearly determined to make anyone else beat them.
• It didn’t work. Shai finished with 35 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks on an absurdly efficient 13-of-18 shooting while playing nearly 39 minutes. Shai had 10 points in the first quarter, 17 in the first half, but in typical SGA fashion, he saved his best for the clutch. The MVP-leader scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, including a pivotal basket to give OKC a 102-100 lead in the final seconds.
• Shai Gilgeous-Clutchexander.
• Oklahoma City and Boston are the league's two best defenses, and we got a defensive battle for sure. Early, it looked like the pressure was getting to the Thunder. OKC had 5 first quarter turnovers, and 8 in the first half. After a promising start, the turnovers and sloppy play allowed Boston to charge back and lead for much of the first half.
• While the MVP race may be almost settled, Jaylen Brown tried his best to make a case against the league's best team. And truly, Brown had a great night, scoring 34 points with 7 assists (13-of-14 free throws).
• Despite taking 14 free throws, Brown decided to comment on what he called an issue of "foul baiting" in the NBA. Brown told reporters: "So it's like, we commend players for playing the game the right way, but we give the benefit to those who necessarily are trying to manipulate the game into their advantage. I just don't think it's basketball. Let's just play basketball. All the foul baiting, I think it's whatever for me."
• While he didn't mention SGA, I'm not sure why Brown felt the need to mention this on a night he took 14 free throws to SGA's 8, including a pretty obvious case of foul baiting by Brown.

• It being a defensive struggle, it was a really rough night offensively for the Thunder. OKC shot just 11-of-44 from three (25%), and only three players managed to hit double figures (SGA, Chet Holmgren, and Ajay Mitchell).
• While he didn't have a huge scoring night, Jaylin Williams remained hot from deep, going 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
• I think Chet had a pretty nice night. The 14 points doesn't jump off the page, but he did all the Chet things the team needed. He was disruptive in the paint (despite zero blocks), he was hard charging in the paint to get some nice dunks, and he rebounded well–including the game winning offensive rebound that led to two free throws to give OKC the 2-point win.
• Props to Mark Daigneault as well. Off the Jaylen Brown game-tying bucket, Mark decided not to call a time out, seeing that OKC may have a rebounding mismatch. Since the Celtics couldn't sub, they couldn't get a big in there to secure a rebound.
• Ajay Mitchell delivered yet another strong supporting performance with 15 points and 6 assists. Without Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell is such a necessary force offensively.
• Shout out to Alex Caruso for doing Alex Caruso things per usual. The most Caruso-esque moment came in the fourth quarter when he intercepted a pass (based purely on chaos and basketball IQ) that immediately turned into a transition three for Jared McCain.
• Shai was not amused to have his teammates pour water on him after the game:

One Key Takeaway

Yes, tonight was a win against an Eastern Conference contender. Yes, this one extended OKC's win streak and gave them a little more breathing room over the second-seed Spurs (who lost last night).

But last night was about the MVP.

It's hard to wrap my mind around scoring 20+ points in 127 straight games. It's not something a modern NBA player should be able to do. Players leave games early due to injuries, players have off nights, games quickly turn into blow outs–the level of consistent impact that SGA has had for 127 straight games is incredible, and now, unmatched.

After the game, SGA said he would've been "pissed" if he got the record and the team lost. And it's plainly obvious Shai cares about winning (it just so happens that him scoring 20+ points is a key to OKC winning), but as for me? I wanted that record win or loss.

Whether the Thunder beat the Celtics on March 13, 2026 will not itself be remembered. But setting a record that took 127 freaking games to achieve? That is something that is now literally in the history books.

So, congrats to 2. What an accomplishment.