The Kings’ big man might not have been an All-Star this season, but he is certainly playing like one of the most dominant centers in the league. Averaging 20.1 points on 60.9 percent shooting from the field, 13.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, he is on track to have his best statistical season yet and leads the league in rebounds, double-doubles, and triple-doubles.
In just his third season as a King, he has already etched his name into the franchise’s history books. He did, for example, become only the second player in the Sacramento era to grab at least 25 rebounds in a game, joining Chris Webber.
In that very game, he put up 20 points on 10-11 shooting from the field, grabbed 26 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists. With that, he became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to record 20 points, 25 rebounds, and 5 assists in a game while shooting 90 percent from the field.
It has truly been a great season for Sabonis, but he is far from done. In Monday’s win over the Grizzlies, he recorded his 50th consecutive double-double. So far, only eight other players have achieved that feat—Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy, Wilt Chamberlain, Elvin Hayes, Kevin Love, Jerry Lucas, Moses Malone, and Bill Russell—and most of them are already in the Hall of Fame.
Sabonis is on track to break the longest double-double streak since the merger
Fifty straight double-doubles are insane already, but Sabonis is showing no signs of slowing down. With 15 games left, he has plenty of time to push his streak to historic levels.
Currently, the longest streak of consecutive double-doubles in a season since the merger belongs to Kevin Love with 53 in the 2010-11 season. The Kings’ next four games are against the Raptors without starting center Jakob Poeltl, a horrible Wizards squad, a young Magic team, and the 76ers, who might still be without Joel Embiid.
The schedule is certainly in favor of Sabonis’ record chase and it all starts tonight in Toronto. While the all-time record of 227 consecutive double-doubles set by Wilt Chamberlain might never be broken, Sabonis has a solid chance to tie or break Love’s record since the merger. It would be the cherry on top of what has been a great season already and prove once again that he belongs in the same conversation with the best bigs in the league right now.