Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis' impressive double-double streak came to an end at 61 games as his team faced a 112-105 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
In the game, Sabonis managed to contribute eight points and 13 rebounds, falling short of extending his streak further. This streak had placed him in the record books with the seventh-longest streak of double-doubles in NBA history.
Previously, Sabonis had surpassed Elvin Hayes' record of 60 consecutive double-doubles set between October 1968 and February 1969. His streak was notably the longest since the merger of the NBA and ABA in the 1976-77 season, surpassing Kevin Love's mark of 53 straight double-doubles since the merger just last month.
Despite the end of his streak, Sabonis expressed pride in his accomplishment, stating, 'I mean, it’s awesome. You’re mentioned with some of the greats. At the end of the day, you’re just out there trying to play your game and go out there and win. That’s my job as a big man — to get rebounds and to finish.'
Reflecting on the game against the Thunder, Sabonis mentioned that he was focused on helping his team secure a victory and was not aware of the jeopardy his streak was in. He emphasized the team's collective effort to try and turn the game around in the closing moments.
Notably, the record for the most consecutive double-doubles in NBA history is held by Wilt Chamberlain, who achieved an impressive streak of 227 straight double-doubles.
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