Watch Domantas Sabonis rack up 54th consecutive double-double to set post-merger record.
With his double-double Monday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, Domantas Sabonis now stands alone with the longest streak of double-doubles since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976-77. He fittingly crossed the plateau with a putback layup (+1 rebound, +2 points) with 5:24 remaining in the third quarter.
“Shout out to Domas. What a job,” Kings coach Mike Brown said Monday. “What a phenomenal, phenomenal year he’s having. Obviously, he should have been an All-Star. Obviously, he should be talked about for first, second, third All-NBA. And he should be in the MVP discussions with the way that he’s playing.”
No current NBA player was alive the last time a player had a double-double streak longer than Sabonis, who matched Kevin Love’s 53-game run from 2010-11 during the Kings’ win over the Magic on Saturday.
Only four players in NBA history have a longer streak than Sabonis: Wilt Chamberlain (7x), Elvin Hayes (2x), Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy. Chamberlain holds the all-time mark with 227 straight double-doubles, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
Sabonis, who has played in all 70 of Sacramento’s games to date, can max out this streak at 65 games, which would give him the ninth-longest run of all time, trailing only Wilt, Bellamy and Baylor.
The numbers: Sabonis is averaging 20.0 ppg, 13.7 rpg, 8.3 apg for the season – on pace to join Wilt (1967-68) as the only players to average 20/13/8 for an entire season.
- The numbers have been better during the streak at 20.4 ppg, 14.4 rpg, 8.7 apg and 23 triple-doubles over the past 53 games
The stakes: While Sabonis looks to extend this record, the Kings are in a battle for the final playoff spot in the West. Sacramento’s win Monday moved it to No. 6 in the West, while the No. 7 Dallas Mavericks and No. 8 Phoenix Suns are also in the mix.
After logging his 51st consecutive double-double, Domantas Sabonis discusses that streak, his role as offensive facilitator and more.
Marquee matchups: Seven of the Kings’ remaining 11 games are at home. However, they face seven opponents over .500 and have two key games on the second night of a back-to-back.
- Tuesday vs. Dallas (10 ET, TNT): The first of a two-game set over four days in Sacramento, the Kings need to win one of the two to clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker
- April 12 vs. Phoenix: The Kings and Suns meet for the fifth time this season, with this game deciding the head-to-head tiebreaker
With a tough schedule to close out the regular season, the Kings will need more double-doubles from Sabonis down the stretch as they look to begin a streak of their own with back-to-back playoff appearances.
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