Starting 5: Shai, Thunder reach 22-1, KD hits 31K

No. 2 splashes a stepback 3, as SGA’s 33 points in 3 quarters led OKC to its 22nd win in 23 games.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Dec. 6, 2025

22-1: Rolling Thunder match second-best start in NBA history in clearing Mavs

Getting Historic: KD reaching 31k headlines night of rare stat lines and achievements

Rivalries Arise: JB and Boston renew history with LA, and a frantic finish in Florida

Clutch Corner: Cade’s Pistons, young Grizzlies shine late, Spida faced Fox

Streak Celebrated: A deep dive into LeBron’s 1,297-game double-digit scoring streak

BUT FIRST … ⏰

A seven-game Saturday awaits……

Tonight on NBA TV (7:30 ET, Tap To Watch), the Cavs host the Warriors to headline a seven-game slate, which is capped off by a Texas clash between the Rockets and Mavs (8:30 ET, Tap To Watch) on League Pass.

1. THUNDER ROLL TO 14TH STRAIGHT WIN, 22-1 START

21-point win. ✅

League-best 14-game win streak. ✅

One of the four best starts to a season in NBA history. ✅

The Thunder roll on.

Thunder 132, Mavericks 111: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points in 3 quarters of play as the Thunder snapped the Mavs’ 3-game win streak to notch their 14th consecutive victory and move their historic season start to 22-1. | Recap

• 22-1: OKC tied the second-best start in NBA history, matching the 22-1 mark set by the 1993-94 champion Rockets and 1969-70 champion Knicks
• More Dominant: The Thunder have outscored this season’s opponents by 358 points, more than any team in NBA history through a season’s first 23 games
• Longest Roll: This W eclipses Detroit’s 13-game November win streak as the league’s best, while the Thunder now need just one more victory to tie their franchise-best streak (2024-25)

SGA matched Giannis’ single-season record (2019-20) with his 9th 30+ point game in under 30 minutes played. Along the way, he notched his 95th straight 20+ point game, second-most all-time to Wilt.

• “How can I go back and forth / if I’m not really back in fourths?” The NBA Nightcap on Prime team praised SGA, who’s only played in 11 4th quarters, for writing as well as he scores
• Find Flagg: Jaden Hardy’s 23 points led the way for Dallas, with Cooper Flagg chipping in 16 points
• What’s Next: OKC can tie the NBA’s second-best start ever (23-1) when they take on the Jazz on Sunday

2. KD HITS 31K ON HISTORIC NIGHT AROUND LEAGUE

Amen Thompson piled up 31 points to make Friday his best night of the season.

Kevin Durant needed just four points to make NBA history.

Rockets 117, Suns 98: Thompson (4 reb, 70.6 FG%) led Houston offensively and Durant (28 pts, 8 ast, 3 stl) reached 31,000 career points as the Rockets took off in the 2nd quarter to spoil Dillion Brooks’ (23 pts) return to H-Town. | Recap

• Elite Pace: KD became the 8th player in NBA history to reach 31,000 career points, tying LeBron as the third-fastest to get there (1,141 games)
• Elite Company: Only Michael Jordan (1,011) and Wilt Chamberlain (1,015) got to 31K faster than KD and the King
• “I’m just grateful to be in this position to live out my dreams every single day,” Durant said postgame. “I wanna keep it going.”
• What’s Next: The Rockets visit their Lone Star neighbors in Dallas tonight (8:30 ET)

Wednesday saw Jamal Murray lift Denver up with 52 points in a win.

Friday night, facing a 23-point uphill climb, it was the Joker’s turn to take over.

Nuggets 134, Hawks 133: Nikola Jokić (9 reb, 8 ast) surged for 30 2nd-half points to finish with 40, and helped Denver mount the NBA’s second-largest comeback win this season, withstanding Jalen Johnson’s massive triple-double (21 pts, 18 reb, career-high 16 ast). | Recap

• Mile High History: Jokić’s 33rd-career 40+ point outing tied Alex English for most such games in Denver franchise history
• Nuggets Greats: Along the way, Joker also tied Carmelo Anthony for 2nd-most 30+ point games in Nuggets history

The league’s top-rated offense (124.3 OffRtg) completed a 20-0 run to build a double-digit lead in the 4th, before calling on its defense to blanket the Hawks’ final efforts.

• An ATL First: With his 3rd triple-double of the season and 5th of his career, Jalen Johnson logged the Hawks’ first-ever 15/15/15 game
• Rare Collection: Johnson is just the 7th player to record a 20/15/15 triple-double in the last 10 seasons, joining Jokić (15x), Westbrook (6x), Luka (3x), Giannis (2x), Domantas Sabonis and Harden
• Warp Speed: JJ had the triple-double before halftime (11/10/12) in just 16:36 of play. Only Jokić has recorded a quicker trip-dub: Feb. 15, 2018 in 14:33
• What’s Next: Atlanta shifts its focus to taking on Washington in DC tonight (7 ET)

Kenneth Richmond/NBAE via Getty Images

Knicks 146, Jazz 112: New York put 23 up on the scoreboard before Utah had its first points Friday night, in the largest game-opening run without an opponent basket in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98). | Recap

• Big Cushion: Jalen Brunson finished with a team-high 33 points on 6 threes, with Miles McBride adding 22 points and 7 triples to help the Knicks win their 6th game in the last seven

3. CELTICS BEAT LAKERS, MAGIC DROP HEAT IN RIVAL CLASHES

As both teams worked through a back-to-back, Boston and its fresh leading scorer Jaylen Brown (29.0 ppg) saw an early chance to claim the 167th meeting between these storied rivals.

Celtics 126, Lakers 105: With Brown (30 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast) back from illness and LeBron and Luka out, Boston started hot with the highest scoring 1st quarter (39 pts) in this rivalry since 1997-98 and cruised to a fourth straight win. | Recap

• Scoring Support: Austin Reaves continued to sizzle with a game-high 36 pts and 8 assists, but fellow top-6 scorer Brown took the showdown with the support of 6 C’s in double-figures
• “It’s been great,” Brown said of Jordan Walsh’s impact (17 pts, 4-5 3FG), with Boston going 9-2 since inserting him in the starting lineup. “Don’t boost his head up too much – we gotta still take care of the details.”
• LeBron sat out the loss following Thursday’s dramatic win and notable end to his historic 1,297-game stretch of double-digit scoring. Read on in Section 5 for more on the King’s incredible streak ⬇️

Magic 106, Heat 105: After nine 1st-half lead changes, Orlando got 25 of 30 3rd-quarter points from Franz Wagner (32 pts, 5 reb, 4 3s) and Jalen Suggs (22 pts, 5 ast, 4 3s) to build to a 10-point lead and outlast their in-state rival for the second time this season. | Recap

• Close Calls: Orlando’s signature defense (111.8 DefRtg, 3rd-best in East) forced Bam Adebayo (24 pts, 15 reb) into a tough shot at the buzzer, as the last 5 games between these rivals have been separated by a total of 5 points
• Banchero’s Back: Paolo Banchero logged 9 points and 6 rebounds over 20 minutes in his first action since Nov. 12 (groin)
• What’s Next: The Heat make the quick trip back home to host the Kings tonight at 8 ET

Both Florida teams will be right back in Orlando Tuesday for the first Knockout Round game of the Emirates NBA Cup.

And if Friday was any indication, we’re in for a treat in the Cup quarterfinals.

Sixers 116, Bucks 101: Quentin Grimes stepped up (22 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast, 6 3s) and Paul George added 20 points as the 76ers won their third game in a row, visiting a Bucks team without Giannis (calf). | Recap

• Scoring Spread: Tyrese Maxey (12 pts, 4 ast, 4 stl) and VJ Edgecombe (12 pts) had quieter nights following their thrilling game-winning combo Thursday. Philly backed them up with six double-digit scorers.

Pacers 120, Bulls 105: Pascal Siakam (season-high 36 pts, 10 reb, 5 3s, 2 stl) and Bennedict Mathurin (28 pts, 5 reb, 6 3s) helped deliver Indy’s first road win of the season, using a 13-0 3rd quarter run to send Coby White (22 pts, 6 ast) and the Bulls to a sixth straight loss. | Recap

4. ROUNDUP: PISTONS, GRIZZLIES COME UP CLUTCH; HORNETS, CAVS ROLL

Gregory Shamus & Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Pistons 122, Blazers 116: Cade Cunningham (13 of 29 pts in 4th) and Duncan Robinson (8 of 14 pts in 4th) combined to score 18 of Detroit’s last 19 points, tying the game with under 3 minutes to play and overcoming three big Portland performances. | Recap

• Cade’s Time: Cunningham ranks 2nd in the league in total clutch points (79) this season, trailing only SGA (87)
• Jet Trails: The Blazers got 92 of 116 points from the trio of Deni Avdija (35 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast), Jerami Grant (29 pts, 6 reb) and Shaedon Sharpe (28 pts, 5 reb)
• What’s Next: The Pistons are home again tonight, welcoming in the Bucks (7:30 ET)

Grizzlies 107, Clippers 98: Rookie Cedric Coward (23 pts, 14 reb, 5 ast) contributed 4 points to the Grizzlies’ 9-0 game-ending run, as the Grizzlies held Kawhi Leonard (24 pts, 8 reb), James Harden (18 pts, 7 ast) and the Clippers under 100 points for just the second time this season. | Recap

• On The Prowl: Memphis has won 6 of its last 8 games, including dismissing these Clippers one week ago
• What’s Next: LA’s five-city road trip continues tonight in Minnesota (8 ET)

Kevin Sousa & David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

Hornets 111, Raptors 86: Kon Knueppel’s (21 pts, 7 ast, 5 3s) rookie-leading 11th 20+ point game paired with a career-high 21 points for Tidjane Salaün as the Hornets topped Immanuel Quickley (31 pts, 4 3s) and Toronto for the second time this week. | Recap

• Kon’s Record Pace: Knueppel shot past 75 triples (79 in just 23 games) faster than any player in NBA history

Cavs 130, Spurs 117: This faceoff between clutch kings De’Aaron Fox (25 pts, 9 ast) and Donovan Mitchell (28 pts, 8 ast) was decided early when the Cavs exploded to take the 3rd quarter 44-19 and cruise to the double-digit win. | Recap

• Points In Bunches: Jaylon Tyson (24 pts, 6 reb, 2 blk) collected 16 points in the deciding 3rd quarter, while San Antonio was led by Devin Vassell (28 pts) who hit 7 1st-half triples
• What’s Next: Cleveland aims to hand the road-tripping Warriors a third straight loss tonight (7:30 ET)

5. CELEBRATING LEBRON’S DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK

It’s often said that records are meant to be broken.

But some marks can take decades to be challenged.

• Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game came in 1962, with the closest challenge to the single-game scoring record coming from Kobe Bryant (81) in 2006
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in 1989 with 38,387 points – a record many thought was untouchable. LeBron James changed that thinking 34 years later

Add LeBron’s double-digit scoring streak to that list of records that will take decades to challenge – and may never be broken.

The streak ended at 1,297 games on Thursday as LeBron finished with eight points and 11 assists – including the game-winning dime to Rui Hachimura – in a win over the Raptors.

The new longest active streak belongs to Kevin Durant (268), followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (171) and Luka Dončić (157).

• If we do some quick math, it would take KD 12.6 full 82-game seasons to accumulate the 1,030 games needed to pass LeBron’s mark – that’s unlikely for the 37-year-old
• For 27-year-old SGA (1,127 to pass) and 26-year-old Luka (1,141) – who were 8- and 7-years-old, respectively, when LeBron’s streak started – they would each need close to 14 more seasons to challenge the record
• “It just shows a sign of consistency with him.” – Dwyane Wade praised his former teammate on the streak

Let’s rewind back to when the streak began on Jan. 6, 2007.

• The NBA’s all-time leaders in 3-pointers made and triple-doubles were not yet in the league – Steph Curry and Russell Westbrook were both college freshmen
• LeBron’s coach was an NBA rookie – JJ Redick would have a 15-year career and become a head coach before the streak ended
• Fellow all-time top scorers were not yet in the league – Kevin Durant (8th overall) was a freshman at Texas; James Harden (11th overall) was a high school senior
• Fellow multi-time MVPs were not yet teenagers – Nikola Jokić was 11, while Giannis Antetokounmpo was 12

⬆️ How It Started (19 pts, 13 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl, 3 blk vs. Nets on Jan. 6, 2007)

⬇️ How It Ended (8 pts, 11 ast, including game-winner vs. Raptors on Dec. 4, 2025)

Much has changed over the 18 years and 11 months of LeBron’s double-digit scoring streak, including how we, as fans, consume the game.

Just three days after LeBron’s 1,297-game run began, Apple announced the launch of the iPhone. Smartphones have put the game in the palm of people’s hands – from score updates to viral moments on social to streaming games around the world.

Even the highlights above have gone from standard definition (top) to high definition (bottom). One thing is crystal clear – we won’t see another run like this anytime soon.