Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during an NBA game.
TheNBAputamassivespotlightonShaiGilgeous-AlexanderonSunday,postingthatithasbeenmorethan500dayssincetheOklahomaCityThundersuperstarscoredfewerthan20pointsinaregular-seasongame.TheleagueaddedthatGilgeous-AlexanderjustpassedWiltChamberlainforthelongest20-pointstreakinNBAhistoryat127straightregular-seasongames.
ThatiswhySunday’snationallytelevisedmatchupmattersbeyondoneMarchgame.OklahomaCityentersthecontestagainsttheMinnesotaTimberwolvesat52-15,onaseven-gamewinningstreak,whileESPNliststheThunderasseekingtheireighthstraightwinina1p.m.ETtipatPaycomCenteronABC.
KeyPoints
TheNBAsaidithasbeen500-plusdayssinceShaiGilgeous-Alexanderscoredunder20inaregular-seasongame.
Gilgeous-Alexander’sstreakreached127straightgames,breakingWiltChamberlain’spreviousrecordof126.
Thunder-TimberwolvestipsoffSunday,March15,at1p.m.ETonABC.
It’sBeen500+DaysSinceShaiGilgeous-AlexanderScoredFewerThan20Points,AccordingtotheNBA
TheNBA’spostisattention-grabbing,butthenumberchecksout.StatMuselistsGilgeous-Alexander’slastregular-seasongameunder20pointsasOctober30,2024,whenhescored18againsttheSanAntonioSpurs.FromthatdatetoMarch15,2026,thatis501days.
Whatmakesthestreakmorenotableisthecompanyhepassed.NBA.comdocumentedthatGilgeous-AlexandermovedbeyondChamberlain’s126-gamerunbyreaching20pointsinThursday’swinovertheBostonCeltics,givinghim127straightregular-seasongameswith20ormore.
Thisisnotjustahotstreak.Itisnowthelongestsuchstreaktheleaguehaseverrecordedintheregularseason.
HowtoWatchThundervs.Timberwolves
ESPN’sgamepagelistsThundervs.TimberwolvesforSunday,March15,at1p.m.ETfromOklahomaCity,withABCcarryingthenationalbroadcast.ESPN’sstreaminglistingalsoshowsthegameliveunder “ESPNonABC/ESPNUnlimited.”
Thereisalsoastandingsanglehere.ESPNshowsOklahomaCityfirstintheWestat52-15andMinnesotasixthat41-26,withtheThunderalready28-6athome.ESPN’smatchuppagealsoshowsMinnesotaleadingtheseasonseries2-1.
ShaiGilgeous-AlexanderStats
EnteringSunday,ESPNlistsGilgeous-AlexanderasOklahomaCity’sseasonleaderat31.8pointsand6.6assistspergamewhileshooting55.4%fromthefieldand89.5%fromthefree-throwline.
ThosenumbersmatterinthisspotbecauseMinnesotaisstilloneofthefewteamstogiveOklahomaCityproblemsthisseason.ThatmakesSundayaclean “whytoday?”checkpoint:anothernational-TVstage,anotherchancetoextendtherecord,andanotheropportunitytostrengthenhisMVPcaseagainstaplayoff-caliberopponent.
ShaiGilgeous-AlexanderMVPOdds
ThebettingmarkethastiltedhardtowardGilgeous-Alexander.SearchresultsfromDraftKingslisthimat–800 towinNBAMVP,withNikolaJokicandVictorWembanyamabothlistedat+1500 behindhim.FoxSportsalsorecentlyshowedGilgeous-AlexanderastheclearMVPfavorite.
ThatisthebiggertakeawayaheadofThundervs.Timberwolves:theNBA’ssocialpostwasnotjustcelebratingastat.Itamplifiedaseasonthathasalreadybecomehistoric,andSundaygivesGilgeous-Alexanderanothernationallytelevisedwindowtoaddtoit.