By Rafael Bandayrel

 

Massive scoring nights are part of NBA lore. Every so often, a player catches fire and produces a performance that feels almost unreal. With Bam Adebayo exploding for 83 points to move into second place on the all-time list, here’s a fun look at the five highest-scoring games ever recorded in the NBA.

 

1. Wilt Chamberlain — 100 points (1962)

 

Still the gold standard.

 

On March 2, 1962, Chamberlain delivered the most legendary individual performance in basketball history, scoring 100 points to lead the Philadelphia Warriors past the New York Knicks, 169-147.

 

 

Chamberlain shot 36-of-63 from the field and an incredible 28-of-32 from the free-throw line, remarkable for a player who struggled from the stripe throughout his career. He even added 25 rebounds while playing all 48 minutes.

 

The game also produced one of sports’ most iconic images: Chamberlain holding a simple sheet of paper with “100” written on it.

 

More than six decades later, the record still stands untouched.  

 

2. Bam Adebayo — 83 points (2026)

 

Adebayo delivered a night for the ages in leading the Miami Heat to a 150–129 win over the Washington Wizards.

 

Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images

 

The All-Star big man was unstoppable from the opening tip. He already had 31 in the first quarter, 42 by halftime, and 62 massive points through three quarters.

 

He finished with 83 points, shooting 20-of-43 from the field, 7-of-22 from three, and a staggering 36-of-43 from the free-throw line.

 

Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images

 

Those 36 makes and 43 attempts from the stripe both set new NBA records, and the scoring total pushed Adebayo past his hero, Kobe Bryant, for the second-highest scoring game ever.

 

3. Kobe Bryant — 81 points (2006)

Before Adebayo’s eruption, Bryant owned the second spot for two decades.

On Jan. 22, 2006, Bryant authored one of the greatest scoring explosions ever, torching the Toronto Raptors for 81 points in a Lakers comeback victory.

 

Photo by Jeffrey Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images

 

Bryant scored 55 points in the second half alone, repeatedly slicing through the Raptors defense while hitting shots from everywhere on the floor.

 

For years, Bryant’s masterpiece was considered the closest anyone had come to Chamberlain’s mythical 100-point game.

 

4. Wilt Chamberlain — 78 points (1961)

 

As if the 100-point game wasn’t enough, Chamberlain appears again on the list.

 

In a three-overtime marathon against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 8, 1961, the Warriors’ dominant center piled up 78 points, showcasing the overwhelming scoring ability that defined his era.

 

Photo by Bettmann/via Getty Images

Chamberlain remains the only player in NBA history with multiple 70-point games, underscoring just how far ahead of the curve he was offensively.

 

5. Luka Doncic — 73 points (2024)

 

Modern NBA offense finally produced another entry near the top when Doncic erupted for 73 points in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 26, 2024.

Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images

 

The Dallas Mavericks superstar scored efficiently from everywhere—threes, drives, midrange jumpers and free throws—delivering one of the most dominant scoring nights of the modern era.

 

It was the highest-scoring game in the NBA in nearly two decades at the time.

 

Others who have also scored 73 include David Thompson, who achieved the feat for the Denver Nuggets against the Detroit Pistons on April 9, 1978, as well as two more performances by Wilt Chamberlain—against the New York Knicks on Nov. 16, 1962 and versus the Chicago Packers on Jan. 13, 1962.