What Is the Highest Scoring NBA Game by One Player?
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You may be wondering what the highest scoring NBA game by one player is. Well, the answer may surprise you. The highest scoring NBA game by one player is actually 100 points, and it was accomplished by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.
Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game
On March 2, 1962, Chamberlain scored a record 100 points in a 169–147 win over the New York Knicks at Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It is widely considered one of the greatest and most notable individual single-game performances in NBA history. Chamberlain set five other league records that night that have since been broken, including scoring 58 points in a half (surpassed by Kobe Bryant in December 2005) and most field goals attempted in a game (61).
Chamberlain’s achievement was all the more remarkable because players did not routinely score 50 or more points in those days. In fact, it had been accomplished only once before in NBA history: Elgin Baylor’s 61-point game against the Knicks on November 15, 1960. But Chamberlain’s100-point game was not only the high point of his career; it was also one of the defining moments of his generation.
Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game
Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game is the highest scoring NBA game by one player. Kobe achieved this feat in 2006 against the Toronto Raptors.
Michael Jordan’s 69-point game
On March 28, 1990, Michael Jordan scored 69 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers, setting the record for the most points scored by a single player in an NBA game. This performance was particularly impressive because it came against one of the best teams in the league at the time. Jordan’s Chicago Bulls went on to win the game by a score of 117-113.
Elgin Baylor’s 61-point game
Elgin Baylor’s 61-point game is the highest scoring NBA game by one player. Baylor set the record on November 15, 1960, when he scored 61 points for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 122-103 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
David Robinson’s 71-point game
On April 24, 1994, San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson scored 71 points against the Los Angeles Clippers. It is the highest scoring performance by a player in an NBA game.
