LeBron James becomes the most capped player in NBA history

A new recital from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the only thing that took some of the spotlight off a record-setting night for LeBron James. The Los Angeles star reached 1,612 NBA regular-season games, becoming the first player to reach that mark, surpassing Robert Parish.

James, 41, hasnmultiple records in his 23 NBA seasons, including the number of field goals scored and attempted and the most points. Including playoffs, James has 1,904 games in the world's best basketball league.

If that wasn't enough, the win on this day is the ninth in a row, a first since the 2019-20 season and thanks to a last-second basket by Luke Kennard.

"This is what we love, tough games away from home," said Austin Reaves, who added 26 points to the cause. "I'm sure we're going to feel it in the morning, but it's worth it." "This staff works very hard and they look to put us in the best situations, they are people who know a lot about basketball and when they come together, good things happen."

Luka Doncic, who totaled his 16th technical foul of the season and is exposed to a sanction by the NBA, finished as top scorer for the Los Angeles squad with 33 points. The Lakers (46-25) remain in third place, ten games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.

New SGA recital

Precisely the Thunder were the other protagonists of the day. SGA again shone with 40 points, and the Oklahoma franchise consolidates the lead in the West with three and a half games ahead of the second-placed San Antonio Spurs.

The reigning champions have definitely put their midseason slump behind them and have not lost a game since Feb. 25, when they lost 124-116 to the Detroit Pistons and have won 11 games in a row since then.

Gilgeous-Alexander, 27 and reigning MVP, shot for 63% (17/27) connecting on one of his two shots from the three-point line at Capital One Arena (Washington).

The key to the game for OKC was in limiting the Wizards to 15 points in the fourth period, a decisive moment in the game and key for center, Isaiah Hartenstein. "We didn't start well," Isaiah Hartenstein said. "They were getting good baskets but the reality is we weren't doing our job."

"My job is to do whatever it takes to win, today rebounding was key and that got me close to a triple double." The German-born player came close to a triple double with a line of nine points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists. For the Wizards, Bilal Coulibaly was the top scorer with 21 points.

Pacers, easy prey for Indiana

Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs had an easy prey in the Indiana Pacers, scoring 42 points in the first quarter and leading the way to a 134-119 victory at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

Dylan Harper and Keldon Johnson shared top scoring honors for the Texans with 24 points. "It's a dream come true," said Dylan Harper, who started for the first time in his NBA career. "It's a blessing and something I fought for my whole life."

Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs' main man, had a modest night with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 26 minutes on the court. San Antonio adds its fifth consecutive victory and 21st in the last 23 games.

The opposite is true for the Indiana Pacers, who continue to have a season to forget without Tyrese Haliburton and now have 16 consecutive losses and are in last place in the East. Andre Nembhard was outstanding for Indiana with 25 points and was the game's leading scorer.