Who Has Scored the Most Points in a NBA Game?
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Who Has Scored the Most Points in a NBA Game?
The answer may surprise you!
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for the most points scored in a single NBA game. He scored 100 points in a game against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.
100-point game
On March 2, 1962, Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game against the New York Knicks, becoming the first and only player in NBA history to do so. It was also the most points ever scored in a single game by any player in the history of professional basketball. The previous record was 78 points, set by Wilt Chamberlain himself just four days earlier.
Most points in a season
Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for the most points in a season, with 4,029 points in the 1961-1962 season. He also holds the record for the most seasons averaging at least 30 points per game, with 7. Michael Jordan is second on both lists, with 3,041 points in the 1986-1987 season and 6 seasons averaging 30 points per game.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is an American professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time. Bryant is the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history.
81-point game
Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game was a National Basketball Association (NBA) record-setting performance by Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers on January 22, 2006, when he surpassed previous single-game records held by Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor. The game took place at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home of the Lakers, with the Lakers defeating the Toronto Raptors, 122–104. Bryant’s 81 points were the second-most points scored in a single game in NBA history, second only to Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962.
Second most points in a season
Kobe Bryant is only the second player in NBA history to score at least 2,000 points in a season three times (2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09). The other player is Wilt Chamberlain, who did it seven times.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. He has won six NBA Championships, five MVP Awards, and is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Needless to say, Michael Jordan is a pretty incredible basketball player.
69-point game
In an early season game against the Atlanta Hawks, Jordan set a then-career-high of 69 points. The record stood until 2016, when Kobe Bryant scored 60 points in his final NBA game. Jordan’s 69 points is the fourth most points scored in a game in NBA history.
Third most points in a season
Michael Jordan is the third player in NBA history to score 3,000 points in a season, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He did it in 1986-87, when he averaged a league-leading 37.1 points per game.
LeBron James
LeBron James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. James has played in fifteen NBA seasons, and is the league’s all-time leader in points scored, assists, and steals. He has also been named the NBA Finals MVP a record four times.
61-point game
LeBron James scored 61 points in a Cleveland Cavaliers’ 113-102 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on March 3, 2014, becoming the fifth player in NBA history to score at least 60 points in a game three times. He also joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players with 60-point games against three different teams. Chamberlain did it against four: Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics. The other players with three 60-point games are Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.
Fourth most points in a season
In the 2006–07 season, James averaged 30.0 points per game, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 30 points per game for an entire season. It was also the first time in his young career that he played an entire 82-game regular season. He also averaged 7.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team and the All-Defensive First Team at the end of the season. In addition, he was voted by fans as a starter for that year’s NBA All-Star Game, his second consecutive All-Star appearance. At the age of 23, he became the youngest player ever to be voted as a starter for an All-Star Game. He finished the game with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists, earning him MVP honors for the second straight year.
