5 Players with the most consecutive 30-point games in the NBA since 2000
With the NBA being as open as ever and with more emphasis on shooting and less on defense, it's fair to say scoring has become an absolute necessity in the league. Players are not being judged on their defensive skills rather their offensive prowess, especially in an era of 3-point plays.
Players are taking defensive plays off in order to preserve their energy for the other side of the floor. However, there are elite players who play just as hard on defense as they do on offense. The likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, etc. pride themselves in playing at a world-class level on both the ends of the floor.
While we've had many scoring behemoths in NBA history, the game has changed since the turn of the millennium. Thus, let us now look at 5 players with the most consecutive 30-point games since 2000.
#5 Shaquille O'Neal - 11 games
The most dominant center to play in the NBA, Shaquille O'Neal was a freak of nature. Standing at 7'1, Shaq was a force to be reckoned with on both the ends of the floor. No one could match up with him and no one wanted to go up against him as he would bully you while dropping 30.
Shaq's 11-game streak of 30 or more points per game came between March 28, 2001, and April 17, 2001, while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. The streak included him having big games against the likes of Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, etc. with his best performance coming against the Celtics where he dropped 39 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
The Lakers were the defending champions and went on to win the title that season by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers before completing the three-peat next year. It was one of the most dominant periods in the franchise's history with Shaq and Kobe Bryant leading the way.