Most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history: How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander compares to legendary Wilt Chamberlain

Most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history: How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander compares to legendary Wilt Chamberlain originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

JUMP TO:

• Longest 20-point streaks in NBA history

• Who has the longest 20-point streak in NBA history?

• SGA-Wilt record, explained

• Who has the most 20+ point games in NBA history?

Some NBA all-time scoring records are driven by longevity, such as LeBron James’ leading all-time points total. Others are about single-game performance — Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game remains the gold standard, with the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo now surprisingly in second place after an 83-point outing in March 2026.

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When it comes to nightly consistency across the grind of the NBA’s regular-season schedule, arguably no record is more telling than an elite scorer’s ability to drop 20-plus points on a consistent basis. With 20 points often being considered the benchmark of a good vs. great scorer, some players reach that mark far more often than others, health also permitting.

As of March 2026, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP and Finals MVP, has made headlines as he’s challenged an NBA legend’s record for most consecutive 20-point games.

Here’s everything to know about the longest 20-point game streaks in NBA history, where Gilgeous-Alexander ranks and more.

MORE:Ranking the 9 greatest players in Thunder history

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Longest 20-point streaks in NBA history

Plenty of all-time legends grace the top of the list for most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history.

There have been 12 occasions of a player putting up 20 points in at least 60 consecutive games, accomplished by eight different players. Wilt Chamberlain had three separate streaks of at least 60 games where he scored 20-plus points, while Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar both had two.

*Bold = active

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Who has the longest 20-point streak in NBA history?

As of March 11, 2026, there is a tie for the longest 20-point streak in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain has long owned the record at 126 consecutive 20-point games — but during the 2025-26 season, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied that record and will have a chance to surpass it on Thursday, March 12 against the Boston Celtics.

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Chamberlain’s record of 126-straight 20-point games lasted from Oct. 19, 1961 until around the midway point of the following NBA regular season, broken on Jan. 19, 1963. That, of course, wasn’t the only long 20-point streak of Chamberlain’s illustrious career — for decades, he also held the No. 2 spot on the all-time list of 20-point streaks, going for 92 in a row from February 1963 until March 1964. Chamberlain also had a 20-point streak of 62 games from February 1960 until January 1961.

It wasn’t until the 2025-26 NBA season that Chamberlain’s all-time record was being seriously challenged. In the decades prior, the closest a player had gotten to 126-straight 20-point games was 79 by Oscar Robertson, lasting from October 1963 to October 1964, along with 72 games in a row, accomplished by both Kevin Durant (between Thunder and Warriors) from November 2015 to November 2016, and Michael Jordan (Bulls) from December 1987 to December 1988.

However, it was Gilgeous-Alexander who tied Chamberlain’s record on March 9, 2026. By putting up 35 points against the Denver Nuggets, Gilgeous-Alexander notched consecutive 20-point game No. 126, putting him alongside Chamberlain — also with a chance to break the record in his next game.

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SGA-Wilt record, explained

Here’s what to know about Gilgeous-Alexander’s bid for NBA history with his 20-point streak.

How did Wilt Chamberlain set the record?

Chamberlain’s record of 126-straight 20-point games lasted from Oct. 19, 1961 until Jan. 19, 1963, the equivalent of around one-and-a-half full NBA seasons.

The legendary center’s streak began with a 48-point outing against the Lakers in a loss, and the final leg of the streak was a 35-point game against the St. Louis Hawks in a loss.

Chamberlain’s streak ended at 126 games when he played just four minutes against the Hawks on the following day: Jan. 20, 1963. He scored at least 20 points every game of the 1961-62 season for the Philadelphia Warriors — a run that also included his famous 100-point game in 1962.

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SGA ties Wilt Chamberlain

On March 9, 2026, there was finally a player to match Chamberlain’s all-time run of 20-point games. Gilgeous-Alexander put up 35 points against the Nuggets — including a game-winning 3-pointer — for consecutive 20-point game No. 126.

“It’s still a lot to even wrap my head around it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said postgame, per NBA.com. “To be honest with you, I try not to even think about it, especially during the season. So much is going on. So many things have to go right.”

Over Gilgeous-Alexander’s run, he’s had five games of at least 50 points, including a career-high 55 points against the Indiana Pacers.

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His streak began on Nov. 1, 2024, when he put up 30 points in a Thunder win over the Portland Trail Blazers. It followed an 18-point game against the Spurs for Gilgeous-Alexander, which would be the last time he was held under 20 points for well-over a year.

MORE:Complete list of every NBA Finals MVP in history

(NBA Entertainment)

Wilt Chamberlain records

Chamberlain’s consecutive 20-point games record is one of many NBA’s all-time marks for the former center. He holds plenty of scoring, rebounding and all-around durability records, some of which are considered potentially unbreakable.

Here are some of the other NBA regular-season records held by Chamberlain:

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Scoring

• Most points per game in a season (50.4 in 1961-62); only player to average at least 40 points per game

• Most total points in a season (4,029 in 1961–62)

• Single-game scoring record (100 points on Mar. 2, 1962)

• Most points scored in a half (59 vs. Knicks during 100-point game)

• Most 50-point games in a season (45 in 1961-62)

• Most 40-point games in a season (63 in 1961-62)

• Most consecutive seasons leading NBA in PPG (tied with seven)

• Career regular-season 60-point games (32)

• Career regular-season 50-point games (118)

• Career regular-season 40-point games (271)

• Consecutive 60-point games (four during 1961-62 season)

• Consecutive 50-point games (seven during 1961-62 season)

• Consecutive 40-point games (14 during 1961-62 season)

• Consecutive 30-point games (65 during 1961-62 season)

• Consecutive 20-point games (126 during 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons)

• Highest PPG by a rookie (37.6 in 1959-60)

• Single-game rookie scoring record (58 on Jan. 25, 1960, and Feb. 21, 1960)

• Single-game points in NBA debut (43 on Oct. 24, 1959)

• Quickest by games to following marks: 15,000 points (358), 20,000 points (499), 25,000 points (691), 30,000 points (941)

• Most FGM in a season (1,597 in 1961–62)

• Most FGA in a season (3,159 in 1961–62)

• Single-game FGM record (36 on Mar. 2, 1962)

• Single-game FGA record (63 on Mar. 2, 1962)

• Most FTA in a season (1,363 in 1961–62)

Rebounding

• Most career rebounds (23,924)

• Highest career average in RPG (22.9)

• Most seasons leading the league in rebounds (11)

• Most seasons with 1,000 or more rebounds (13)

• Highest RPG in a season (27.2)

• Total rebounds in a season (2,149 in 1960–1961)

• Single-game rebounds (55 on Nov. 24, 1960)

• Most RPG by a rookie in a season (27.0)

• Most rebounds by a rookie in a season (1,941)

• Most rebounds by a rookie in a game (45 on Feb. 6, 1960)

Others

• Most career double-doubles (968)

• Most consecutive double-doubles (227 from 1964-67)

• Only player in NBA history to lead the league in points and rebounds the same season (accomplished six times)

• Only player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists the same season (1967-68 season)

• Only player in NBA history to lead the league in points, assists, and rebounds in any season

• One of two players in NBA history to record a 20/20/20 game (Feb. 2, 1968)

• Only player in NBA history to record a 40/40 game (eight times)

• Most 30-30 games (points and rebounds) ever (124)

• Most seasons leading NBA in minutes played (8)

• Most consecutive seasons leading NBA in minutes played (5)

• Most career minutes played per game (45.8)

• Most minutes played in a season (3,882 in 1961–62)

• Most minutes played per game for a season (48.53 in 1961–62)

• Most complete games in a season (79 out of 80 games in 1961–62)

• Most consecutive complete games in a season (47 in 1961–62)

• Most consecutive seasons leading NBA in field goal percentage (5)

• Most consecutive field goals (35 from February 17–28, 1967)

• Most field goals in a game without a miss (18 on Feb. 24, 1967)

• Career free throws missed (5,805)

• Career free throws missed per game (5.6)

MORE:Breaking down every all-time NBA Finals record

Who has the most 20+ point games in NBA history?

LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, also holds the mark for most career 20-plus point games, per StatMuse, with 1,315 in his career as of March 11, 2026. James surpassed Karl Malone, who had 1,134 career games with at least 20 points.

Here is the leaderboard for all-time 20-point games:

Rank	Player	Career 20-point games	Career point total
1	LeBron James	1,315	38,461
2	Karl Malone	1,134	32,000
3	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	1,122	32,184
4	Kevin Durant	1,011	29,508
5	Kobe Bryant	941	28,388
6	Michael Jordan	926	30,134
7	Dirk Nowitzki	861	23,044
8	Shaquille O’Neal	826	23,446
9	Carmelo Anthony	796	22,191
10	James Harden	775	23,425

*Bold = active

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