He rewrote the record books, eclipsing the great Wilt Chamberlain’s streak of consecutive 20-point games. Then Shai stepped back, planted his feet and launched the step-back that’s become his signature. The net barely moved. With 2.7 seconds on the clock the Thunder’s leader handed Oklahoma City a 129-126 win over the Denver Nuggets.
SGA CALLS GAME.
STEPBACK 3 TO WIN A THRILLER VS. DENVER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/sIrFsI3Ft0
— NBA (@NBA) March 10, 2026
A wild finish. A night that goes straight into the history books. That shot wasn’t just any game-winner. Minutes earlier Shai had matched a record more than sixty years old. It felt eerily familiar to Russell Westbrook’s game-winner nine years ago against the Nuggets, the one that capped a 50-point triple-double. History loves repeating itself…
This Russell Westbrook shot in 2017:
▫️Won the game
▫️Eliminated Denver from the playoffs
▫️50 pts 16 rebs 10 ast pic.twitter.com/bk3odba5KR— ThrowbackHoops (@ThrowbackHoops) July 18, 2019
A record that screams legend
In the third quarter Shai hit 20 points for the 126th straight game. Exactly the same run Wilt Chamberlain put together between 1961 and 1963. Yes, that Wilt—the one who dropped 101 points in a single game. In today’s NBA, where rotations, defense and injuries regularly snap streaks, maintaining that kind of consistency borders on absurd. Yet Shai did it, and even his opponent tipped his hat after the game:
Jokic gives his take on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:
“I don’t know how to beat him….He is a special player” pic.twitter.com/HsxM8pfg3W
— Mufasa (@mo_konnect) March 10, 2026
And he didn’t just score. The stat line was monstrous: 35 points, 15 assists (career high), 9 rebounds… and zero turnovers.
In league history only one player had ever logged a game with at least 35 points and 15 assists without a turnover. Now there are two.
Shai: clutch like a boss
The Thunder thought they’d done the hard part. Just over two minutes to play they led by eight. But nothing is ever simple against Denver. Especially with Nikola Jokic, monstrous again with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, keeping the Nuggets alive. Then chaos hit in the final minute.
OKC led 126-122 when Jokic buried a massive three. On the next play Jaylin Williams was whistled for an off-ball foul. Jamal Murray knocked down the free throw — this time he didn’t flinch.
Tie. 126-126. 8.5 seconds left. Ball back to Shai. No fancy set — just the ball for the boss. Two dribbles, a step-back, a jumper over Spencer Jones and we all know the result…
The Thunder keep rolling
Aaron Gordon heaved a desperate 18-meter shot at the buzzer. The ball fell well short. The arena erupted. The Thunder notched their sixth straight win since Shai returned — he missed nine games with an abdominal issue. And they’ve had to patch things together: Chet Holmgren was ill, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jalen Williams were hurt, Alex Caruso out.
Still, Oklahoma City held. Jaylin Williams added 29 points, Ajay Mitchell dropped 24 in his return after 20 games out. Denver answered blow for blow: Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 28, Gordon finished with 23 and 10, including a blistering 17 points in the first five minutes. But when the night becomes a star affair, the last word usually goes to the same player.
Season Two: his crowning year
For months Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been playing at an almost unreal level. Constant scoring, total command of tempo, ever-sharpening court vision. Last night he added two items to his resume: a record shared with Wilt Chamberlain, and a shot that swung a clash between Western contenders. That kind of bucket can mark a turning point in the MVP race and in OKC’s bid to go back-to-back.
Credit: Photo by JOSHUA GATELEY / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
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