Starting 5: A historic second for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The mid-range jumper for 21.

The 127th time in a row for the document.

Consistent. Historic. Shai.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

SGA Passes Wilt: Shai breaks document with 127th straight 20+ level recreation, comes up clutch as Thunder edge C’s

An All-Time Week: Shai’s streak, Bam’s 83, Tatum’s return and 7 days in contrast to some other

West Puts In Work: Joker, Murray rally Nuggets, Luka’s 50 sparks win, Booker will get 43

East Bubble: Streaking Magic, Heat win to maintain Playoff spots, red-hot Hawks go Sixers for Eighth

Tonight On Prime: Wolves, Warriors conflict in want of wins, Spida & Beard go to Flagg’s Mavs

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Eight video games tip off tonight, highlighted by one other Prime doubleheader because the Mavs host the Cavs (7:30 ET | Tap to Watch), earlier than the Wolves go to the Warriors (10 ET | Tap to Watch).

League Pass On Us: NBA ID Member Days are again, that means any NBA ID member can watch as much as 15 video games this weekend at no cost on League Pass, on us — together with different member-only perks. Not an NBA ID member but? Join the motion now.

1. 127 AND A WIN: SHAI BREAKS WILT’S 20-POINT STREAK IN OKC’S CLUTCH WIN OVER C’S

The reigning Kia MVP wanted 20 factors for historical past.

But with East 2-seed Boston main after three quarters, OKC wanted greater than that from him to win.

Thunder 104, Celtics 102: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to set the NBA document along with his 127th consecutive 20+ level recreation, and helped ship a clutch Thunder win with 14 within the remaining body, outdueling Jaylen Brown (34 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast) and Boston for a seventh straight win.

Shai hit a contested jumper from the highest of the important thing with 7:04 remaining within the Third for 21 factors, passing Wilt Chamberlain (1961-63) for the longest streak of 20+ level video games in NBA historical past. | Recap

The record-setting make tied the sport at 69, as SGA continued his fundamental mission: Securing a W.

“All the records and the accomplishments are great, but they don’t matter if you don’t win. And that’s all that was on my mind,” SGA mentioned postgame.

• Down The Stretch: After an Ajay Mitchell bucket gave OKC the lead, Boston went on a 12-4 run and held Shai scoreless for the remainder of the Third, beginning the 4th up 83-80
• Lock In: Neither workforce led by greater than 4 all through the 4th, in a battle between OKC’s prime total protection and a Boston D main the league since February
• In The Clutch: A Mitchell 3 and a Shai stepback gave OKC a two-possession lead, 98-94, with 3:21 remaining
• Shai Carrying: SGA would break two extra ties whereas sinking OKC’s remaining three area targets so as to add six clutch factors to his league-leading whole (153)
• Brown’s high-arching fadeaway evened the rating for a remaining time, setting Shai up to attract the protection and dish for an open look that ended with Chet Holmgren’s game-winning free throws

“I would have gave the record for the W any day of the week,” SGA mentioned. “I’m just proud of the group… We find a way to win, and that’s what it’s about, no matter what it takes.”

In the 496 days of Shai’s 20+ level streak, he has earned an NBA championship, the Kia MVP and Finals MVP awards, a scoring title, two All-Star choices and 1st Team All-NBA honors. | More on Shai’s historic night time

After his teammates brought the celebration to him, SGA mirrored on all he’s gained by means of this historic consistency with the NBA On Prime crew:

• “Really just want to say thank you to the people that are around me, the people that see me every day, grow with me every day, and help me just have fun with life.”
• “So focused on getting better – individually and as a group – I stack days, stack plays, stack wins, stack games and I look up and I’ve accomplished a few things.”

2. SEVEN SPECIAL DAYS: INSIDE A ONE-OF-ONE WEEK IN THE NBA

What every week it’s been across the league – from Jayson Tatum’s return to Shai’s document streak and late-night Luka Magic.

Wedged in between? Only the second-greatest single-game scoring efficiency ever, a Nuggets-Thunder prompt traditional, Wemby doing Wemby issues and Jokić (shock, shock) breaking extra information.

Before we flip to the weekend, let’s relive every week the basketball world might always remember:

JT’s Return Friday: Seven days in the past, Tatum made his season debut, electrifying TD Garden lower than 10 months after tearing his Achilles.

• His Opening Pregame Intro? It gives you chills
• His Opening Week Impact? Full power, posting 19.7 pts, 6.7 reb and three.7 ast in three video games, together with two wins
• “It was surreal,” mentioned Tatum on his Friday return. “It was everything I could’ve dreamed of.”

Wemby’s Other-Worldly Weekend: After a 25-point comeback to stun the Clippers on Friday, capping what he known as “the best 30 hours of basketball in my life,” Victor Wembanyama dazzled on NBC’s Sunday Night Basketball (29 pts, 8 reb, 4 blk, 1 absurd highlight reel) as San Antonio beat Houston.

Shai’s Double Dagger: Monday delivered an all-time thriller between OKC and Denver, with SGA and Nikola Jokić buying and selling haymakers, capped by two titanic 3s from Shai within the remaining 14 seconds.

The latter? A walk-off winner with 2.7 left – tying Wilt’s 20-point recreation streak (126) and calling recreation on the identical night time.

Then, 83: There have been greater than 68,000 video games in NBA historical past. Entering Tuesday, we had solely seen two video games wherein a participant scored 80+ factors. That’s roughly a 0.003% rarity.

Enter Bam Adebayo.

His 83-point eruption captivated not simply basketball however your complete sports activities world, inserting his identify between two legends – Wilt Chamberlain (100) and Kobe Bryant (81) – for the 2nd-highest scoring efficiency of all time.

Eighty. Three.

The scenes? Epic. The web? Broken. The second? Timeless.

• “I wish I could relive it twice,” mentioned Adebayo. “It’s Wilt, me, then Kobe, which sounds crazy.”

West Stars Wednesday: One night time later, Jokić grew to become the primary participant to document 25 triple-doubles in 4 straight seasons, whereas Kawhi Leonard dropped 45 because the Clippers moved to 33-32 after a 6-21 begin.

Then, Thursday: Another electrical end in OKC, coupled with Shai passing Wilt for essentially the most consecutive 20-point video games in NBA historical past. 127 straight. An all-time streak to stamp an all-time week.

The Cherry On Top: A Luka 50-ball and one other Jokić masterclass (see Section 3 ⬇️).

3. WEST WINS: NUGGETS STORM BACK, 50 FOR LUKA AND A DESERT DUO

Amid an exciting week of standout performances, Joker and Luka as soon as once more confirmed they’re able to making any night time within the Association particular.

Nuggets 136, Spurs 131: Nikola Jokić (31 pts, 20 reb, 10 ast) and Jamal Murray (39 pts, 7 ast) led Denver on one of its largest comebacks of the season, handing San Antonio its first lack of the season (21-1) after main by 20 or extra to snap the Spurs’ five-game win streak. | Recap

• Climbing Back: Down by 20 within the 2nd, Denver flipped the swap with a 41-point Third quarter, with 14 apiece from Joker and Murray
• Pivotal Fourth: With an 11-0 begin to the ultimate body, and a 17-7 total run, the Nuggets pulled inside a bucket, establishing a Murray 3 for his or her first lead (121-119)
• Denver by no means seemed again, surging to a 39-point 4th, its highest-scoring 2nd half (80 pts) since 2022, and its second 20+ level comeback of this season

“It’s fun honestly,” Murray mentioned after scoring 16 within the 4th for a 30-point half. “Those are the moments you live for, these are the games you live for. It may not be playoffs but these wins mean a lot.”

• Wilt Matched Again: Jokić logged his tenth profession 30+/20+/10+ recreation, becoming a member of Wilt (16) as the one gamers in NBA historical past with at the least 10 such video games
• Hold The Line: There have solely been 16 30/20/10 video games within the final 50 seasons. Joker has 10 of them
• Passing Kareem: It’s the 324th time Jokić hit the 20/10/5 mark, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for many such video games in NBA historical past
• With Wemby out (ankle), Stephon Castle (30 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast) stepped up along with his personal 30+ level triple-double, marking the Ninth time in NBA historical past opposing gamers put up 30+ level TDs

Denver holds on to fifth place within the West, only a half-game again from Third, whereas the Spurs are 3.5 video games behind the 1st-place Thunder.

Lakers 142, Bulls 130: Luka Dončić’s (10 reb, 9 ast, 3 stl, 9 3s) first 50-ball for the Lakers helped L.A.’s starters overpower Josh Giddey (27 pts, 8 reb, 15 ast) and the Bulls, and leap to Third-place within the West. | Recap

• Starters Go Off: Austin Reaves (30 pts), Deandre Ayton (23 pts), LeBron (18 pts) and Rui Hachimura (15 pts) joined Luka to contribute 137 of L.A.’s 142 factors (96.5%)
• It’s the 4th-highest scoring recreation by a beginning 5, within the common season or postseason, since starters have been tracked in 1970-71, and essentially the most in regulation
• Lakers 50-Ball Club: Luka joined Reaves as the primary Lakers teammates to every rating 50 in the identical season since 1961-62
• “He was phenomenal tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned of Luka. “He’s been high-volume, high efficiency for a couple months now.”

LeBron (7 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl) was all over the place in his return from a three-game absence, sporting a new patch on his jersey honoring his achievement because the all-time FGM chief.

Suns 123, Pacers 108: Devin Booker ignited for 43 factors and Jalen Green added 36 in his highest-scoring night time for the Suns, as Phoenix shot previous Andrew Nembhard (23 pts) and Indy for a fourth straight win. | Recap

• Big Game, Big Frame: Book (7 reb, 5 ast) had 41 factors by means of three quarters after a 19-point surge within the Third quarter
• One Step Closer: The win brings Phoenix inside a recreation from the sixth and remaining Playoff seed

Mavericks 120, Grizzlies 112: With his workforce’s 20-point lead right down to 2, Khris Middleton (8 3s) erupted for 22 of his 35 factors within the 4th quarter, his highest-scoring recreation for Dallas, because the Mavs snapped their eight-game dropping streak. | Recap

4. EAST STREAKS: MAGIC, HEAT & HAWKS STAY HOT; ATLANTA TOPS PHILLY FOR 8TH

Four of the 5 groups closest to the East’s Playoff cutline performed and received on Thursday.

Fifth-place Orlando set the tempo, with 6-seed Miami proper behind, whereas Atlanta handed Philly to take Eighth.

Magic 136, Wizards 131 (OT): Orlando led by as many as 16 within the 4th however Washington stormed again, scoring 42 within the quarter with Bilal Coulibaly splashing a 3 with 5.4 remaining to power additional time.

Jalen Suggs rallied the Magic in OT with a team-high 28 factors, breaking a tie at 131 with the game-clinching 3 whereas netting the sport’s remaining 5 factors. Orlando prolonged its season-long win streak to 6 video games. | Recap

• Career Nights: Tristan da Silva (7 reb, 4 stl) supported Suggs with a career-high 26 factors, whereas Coulibaly posted his personal career-best to guide the Wizards with 29
• The B&B Crew: Desmond Bane added 22 factors, whereas Paolo Banchero tallied 18 factors, 10 boards and 5 assists

Heat 112, Bucks 105: Pelle Larsson (28 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) set a brand new career-high in scoring and drilled the dagger 3 with 28 seconds left to push the Heat previous Giannis (31 pts) and the Bucks for a seventh straight win.

Bam Adebayo scored 21 within the follow-up to his 83-point extravaganza. | Recap

Hawks 108, Nets 97: Jalen Johnson (21 pts, 9 reb, 9 ast) and Zaccharie Risacher (19 pts, 9 reb) saved Atlanta rolling proper into Eighth-place with an eighth straight win, overcoming a late burst from Josh Minnot (24 pts) and Brooklyn. | Recap

Pistons 131, Sixers 109: Duncan Robinson (19 pts, 5 3s) led seven Pistons in double figures to a wire-to-wire win over VJ Edgecombe (10 pts, 5 reb, 2 blk) and the Sixers. | Recap

• Detroit Duo: Jalen Duren (14 pts, 10 reb) secured a double-double and Cade Cunningham (8 pts) threw out 13 assists in three quarters of labor for Detroit’s All-Star pair

5. TONIGHT ON PRIME: WOLVES FACE WARRIORS, CAVS VISIT MAVS

The West, as they are saying, is wild.

Again.

For the 4th straight yr, half a recreation separates 4 of the convention’s prime eight groups with 50-plus video games performed.

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves have a spot in that race. Tonight, they go to the Warriors (10 ET, Prime), when a victory may have them climb up the ranks.

• Fire Ant: The two-time All-NBA choice has dropped 30 or extra factors in six of 10 video games because the All-Star break, and shot 40.2% from past the arc in that span
• Fine Line: If there’s been a magic quantity for Minnesota in 2025-26, it’s 115. The group is 32-6 when permitting 115 or fewer factors

The Timberwolves additionally aren’t the one workforce on a three-game slide. So are the Ninth-place Warriors, who’re preventing for Playoff positioning.

“The beauty of what we’ve been able to accomplish and what we’re still trying to do is just in the quest,” mentioned coach Steve Kerr. “We’re fighting, and we’re going to continue to fight.”

Earlier within the night, the Cavaliers tackle the Mavericks (7:30 ET, Prime) and are 1.5 video games behind the Knicks for Third place within the East.

• Definitive Duo: James Harden (20.2 ppg, 7.9 apg) and Donovan Mitchell (26.1 ppg, 5.3 apg) have mixed for 46.3 factors and 13.2 assists per recreation en path to a 7-3 stretch taking part in collectively
• Power Of Youth: For Dallas, 19-year-old Cooper Flagg is on tempo to be the youngest participant ever to guide his workforce in whole factors, rebounds and assists

The climb may proceed for the Clippers tonight on League Pass with a win over the Bulls (10:30 ET), whereas the Rockets attempt to acquire extra floor towards the Pelicans (8 ET).

• Grizzlies at Pistons, 7:30 ET
• Knicks at Pacers, 7:30 ET
• Suns at Raptors, 7:30 ET
• Jazz at Trail Blazers, 10 ET

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