The Most Points Scored In One Game For Every NBA Franchise

The NBA will always have a leading scorer. One player will always stick out at the end of a game. The way to win the game is by scoring more points than the other team. Some players are better at it than others. Each franchise has that specific player that ranks at the top, while other franchises have maybe two or three players that set an NBA record for points scored in one game.

Some records will not be broken unless some players join a historic status, while others have been lingering for multiple decades. With offense taking over the NBA, there’s potential that the league could see some new records fall this year. Twelve franchises have not seen a 60-point performance with their team. Could that change this year?

These are the most points scored in one game for each franchise.

Atlanta Hawks – Bob Pettit, Lou Hudson, And Dominique Wilkins (57 Points)

This franchise record is shared by three players, and the number of points has been reached four times. The founder of the record was Bob Pettit on February 18, 1961, when he shot 25 of 42 from the field and seven of nine at the line. Hudson tied the record on November 10, 1969, on an exceptional night shooting the ball. Hudson made 25 of 34 shots and seven of eight free throws.

Wilkins reached 57 points two times in his career and during the same calendar year. The first time came on March 10, 1986, when he scored 57 points against the Nets. He shot 21 of 37 from the field, including 15 of 19 from the free throw line. His second time came on December 10, 1986, when he shot 19 of 28 from the field and 19 of 21 at the line. Trae Young nearly tied the record on January 3, 2022, but came up just short with 56 points.

Boston Celtics – Larry Bird And Jayson Tatum (60 Points)

Bird set the original record during his MVP year on March 12, 1985, against the Hawks. Bird was 22 of 36 from the field and 15 of 16 from the free throw line. His worst attribute was shooting one of four from three-point range. Bird and Tatum have eight combined games of 50 or more points, while Tatum has passed that threshold as recently as March 6, 2022, when he scored 54 points in a game.

Tatum tied a record that had been untouched for 26 years on April 30, 2021, against the Spurs. Tatum played 45 minutes and shot 20 of 37 from the field. That included five of seven from three-point range and 15 of 17 at the free-throw line. Tatum also added eight rebounds and five assists.

Brooklyn Nets – Kyrie Irving (60 Points)

Sometimes, Irving is the most frustrating player to talk about. When you watch him play, he is one of the most exciting. No player had scored at least 60 points in a game for Brooklyn until last season. Up to March 15, 2022, the franchise record for points in a game was set by Deron Williams on March 4, 2012, when he scored 57 points against the Bobcats.

Irving scored 60 points in 35 minutes, which included a masterful outside shooting night. Irving was 8 of 12 from three-point range on a night he shot 20 of 31 from the field. Irving also made 12 of 13 free throws against the Magic. Irving owns two of the top four spots in all-time points for a game with a 54-pointer in 2020.

Charlotte Hornets – Kemba Walker (60 Points)

Six of the top-7 slots on the points for a single game chart feature Walker’s name. Between 2016 to 2019, Walker was a bona fide scorer in this league. He was tough to stop, which is why he owns the only 50-point games in franchise history. Glen Rice came up close in 1997 when he scored 48 points, but it’s Walker’s name at the top.

Walker set the record for points with 52 against the Jazz in 2016, but he topped that mark on November 17, 2018, against the 76ers. Walker shot 21 of 34 from the field, as well as a perfect 12 of 12 at the free throw line. His outside shooting featured 6 of 14 from three-point range. He nearly had a double-double, in a bad way, as he finished with nine turnovers.

Chicago Bulls – Michael Jordan (69 Points)

The 10-time scoring champion owns the record for the Bulls. Who knew? Jordan owns eight of the top spots for single-game scoring. That includes nine of the top 10 spots and 13 of the top 15. The only two players not named Jordan in the top 15 are Chet Walker, 56 points in 1972, and Jimmy Butler, 53 points in 2016.

Jordan scored over 60 points with the Bulls four times. Two games of 61 points came in 1987, while a game of 64 points came in 1993. His best game was on March 28, 1990, against the Cavaliers. Jordan was 23 of 27 from the field in 50 minutes, including 21 of 23 at the free-throw line to go with 18 rebounds.

Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving And LeBron James (57 Points)

James owns nine of the top 11 spots on the single-scoring list. The other two belong to Irving. By far, these two players are the top two offensively skilled players in franchise history. Before these two players, Walt Wesley set the record in 1971 with 50 points. James set the new record multiple times until Irving broke the record in 2015 when he scored 57 points in 47 minutes on a night where he shot a perfect seven of seven from three-point range and 10 of 10 from the free throw line.

James tied the record on November 3, 2017, against the Wizards. In 43 minutes, James added 11 rebounds when he shot 23 of 34 from the field and nine of nine from the free throw line. Had he made one more three-point shot, he could have made the 60-point club with Cleveland.

Dallas Mavericks – Dirk Nowitzki (53 Points)

It feels like Luka Doncic is going to break this record any night, the way he is playing. Doncic came close last season when he scored 51 points in a game. His 7 of 14 shooting from three-point range was the crux of him not reaching the goal. As of now, Nowitzki, Doncic, Jim Jackson, and Jamal Mashburn are the only players to score at least 50 points in a game.

Nowitzki set the record on December 2, 2004. In 49 minutes, Nowitzki scored 53 points on 15 of 32 shooting, which included 21 of 22 at the free-throw line. Nowitzki added 16 rebounds and four blocks against the Rockets. Nowitzki added another game of 51 points in 2006.

Denver Nuggets – David Thompson (73 Points)

The only way this record is getting broken is if an NBA player joins elite scoring history. Only a handful of players have reached 70 points in a game. Thompson scored 73 points in 43 minutes during a game against the Pistons on April 9, 1978. Thompson shot 28 of 38 from the field, as well as 17 of 20 from the free throw line.

There have been quite a few players that have reached 50 points in a game. That includes Michael Adams, Alex English, Allen Iverson, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Kiki VanDeWeghe, Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, and Carmelo Anthony. However, no player has reached 60 points other than Thompson. With both Murray and Jokic on the Nuggets now, could either player get to 74 points one day?

Detroit Pistons – Jerry Stackhouse (57 Points)

It was a close finish for Stackhouse in 2001. On April 3, Stackhouse narrowly beat a record that stood for 18 years. Kelly Tripucka set the original record for 56 points in 1983. Stackhouse scored 57 points on 21 of 36 shooting, as well as 11 of 13 at the free throw line. Stackhouse flirted with 60 points against the Bulls but shot 4 of 11 from three-point range to fall just short.

Among other 50-point scorers, there’s Dave Bing, George Yardley, Richard Hamilton, and Blake Griffin. Saddiq Bey made a run at the record with 51 points against the Magic in March 2022. For now, Stackhouse remains the record holder over two decades later.

Golden State Warriors – Wilt Chamberlain (100 Points)

Of course, we know all about Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Rick Barry. These players have done some incredible things with the franchise. The 64 points by Barry in 1974 would be a franchise record for multiple franchises. However, the team had the great Wilt Chamberlain back in the day, who scored at least 70 points in a game six times in his career.

The infamous night on March 3, 1962, featured the greatest scoring game in NBA history. The 100-point game featured Chamberlain shooting 36 of 63 from the field and 28 of 32 at the free-throw line. Historically a bad free throw shooter, Chamberlain had a night on this particular match against the Knicks. Chamberlain added 25 rebounds in 48 minutes of action.

Houston Rockets – James Harden (61 Points)

Hakeem Olajuwon remains the all-time leading scorer in team history, but James Harden might be the greatest offensive player the team has ever seen. Harden broke the record set by Calvin Murphy in 1978 nine times between 2018 to 2019. That does not include his other games featuring 50 points between 2017 to 2019.

Harden became the first player to score 60 points in a game on January 30, 2018. Then, he broke his own record and scored 61 points two times in the 2019 calendar year. First, he scored 61 points on January 23 against the Knicks, and then he scored 61 points again, but this time against the Knicks on March 22.

Indiana Pacers – Reggie Miller (57 Points)

The offense has not been the name of the game for Indiana players. Four players have reached 50 or more points, and no player has ever topped 60 points. Outside of Miller, Jermaine O’Neal, T.J. Warren, and Billy Knight have reached the 50-point threshold.

The highest-scoring night came on November 28, 1992, when Miller scored 57 points in 38 minutes. Miller shot 16 of 29 from the field and 21 of 23 at the free-throw line. Miller, the former three-point shooting champ, had a poor night from outside by shooting 4 of 11 from three-point range.

Los Angeles Clippers – Bob McAdoo And Charles Smith (52 Points)

Before Smith, Bob McAdoo was an MVP running around with the Buffalo Braves. McAdoo reached 52 points on two different occasions. The first time came on February 22, 1974, when he shot 20 of 28 from the field and 12 of 14 at the line. McAdoo tied the record on March 17, 1976, with 52 points against the SuperSonics.

When the Braves became the Clippers, Smith is the lone true “Clipper” that has passed the 50-point threshold. Smith scored 52 points against the Nuggets on December 1, 1990. He shot 17 of 27 from the field and 18 of 21 at the free throw line.

Los Angeles Lakers – Kobe Bryant (81 Points)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9NILK4OXpo

When Elgin Baylor scored 71 points, fans back then likely thought that record would stick around for a while. They would have been right as Baylor’s record was untouched for 46 years. It wasn’t until a magical night from Bryant on January 22, 2006, that Baylor’s scoring record would fall.

There was hope that Bryant was going to break Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 100 points in a game. Bryant was on fire when he torched the Raptors for 81 points. Bryant was 28 of 46 from the field, including 7 of 13 from three-point range and 18 of 20 from the free throw line. Bryant scored 81 points in 42 minutes. For every minute, Bryant nearly scored two points.

Memphis Grizzlies – Ja Morant (52 Points)

Imagine breaking the franchise record for points. Then, breaking it again two days later. That is exactly what Morant did last season. Morant scored 46 points to surpass the franchise record for 45 points set by Mike Miller in 2007. On February 26, 2022, Morant scored 46 points on 16 of 28 shooting and 13 of 15 shooting at the free throw line.

Two days later, Morant scored a new franchise record 52 points against the Spurs. Morant shot 22 of 30 from the field, four of four from three-point range, and four of seven at the line. Moran added a game of 49 points on October 21, 2022. A record that stood for about 15 years has been broken three times by a player in the calendar year of 2022.

Miami Heat – LeBron James (61 Points)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5PRGB1Khts

Only one player has hit at least 60 points in a game with the Heat. That belongs to LeBron James. On March 3, 2014, James scored 61 points against the Bobcats by shooting 22 of 33 from the field. James was also 8 of 10 from three-point range and 9 of 12 from the free-throw line.

James broke the record set by Glen Rice in 1995 with 56 points. The nearly two-decade record was almost broken by Dwyane Wade in 2009, but Wade came up short with 55 points. James, Rice, Wade, and Alonzo Mourning make up the top 10 spots for single-game scoring.

Milwaukee Bucks – Michael Redd (57 Points)

There are 13 games where a player has surpassed 50 points in a game. Among those times, eight of those times came from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the early 70s. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 52 points in a game in 2019, while Brandon Jennings nearly broke the franchise record in 2009 with 55 points.

For now, Redd remains at the top of the franchise 16 years later. Redd scored 57 points against the Jazz in 46 minutes. Redd shot 18 of 32 from the field, 6 of 12 from three-point range, and 15 of 17 from the free throw line. This game came on November 11, 2006.

Minnesota Timberwolves – Karl-Anthony Towns (60 Points)

Two times Towns has broken the franchise record for points in a game. Originally, Kevin Love became the first player to score 50 points in a game in 2012. Then, Corey Brewer scored 51 points in 2014, and Mo Williams scored 52 points in 2015.

Towns set the new record on March 28, 2018, when he scored 56 points against the Hawks. However, his best night came on March 14, 2022, when he scored 60 points against the Spurs. In 36 minutes, Towns shot 19 of 31 from the field, 7 of 11 from three-point range, and 15 of 16 from the free throw line. Towns also added 17 rebounds.

New Orleans Pelicans – Anthony Davis (59 Points)

Before Anthony Davis came around, the franchise record was 50 points, set by Jamal Mashburn in 2003. It was 13 years before Davis broke the record with 59 points against the Pistons. Davis scored 59 points on 24 of 34 shooting. Davis also added two three-point shots and 9 of 10 shooting at the free throw line.

Davis owns the top 3 spots on the single-game scoring. Davis scored 50 points later in the 2016 calendar year and then scored 53 points in 2018. Outside of Mashburn and Davis, no other player has reached at least 50 points in a game with New Orleans.

New York Knicks – Carmelo Anthony (62 Points)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQE-n6iQp9A

Bernard King had the best Christmas one could have from a professional basketball player’s standpoint. King set a Christmas Day record with 60 points in 1984. King didn’t shoot a single three-point shot either. Nearly 30 years later, Anthony broke the record on January 24, 2014.

Anthony scored 62 points on 23 of 35 shooting, including 6 of 11 from three-point range. Anthony also made all 10 of his free throw attempts against the Bobcats. In comparison, Anthony scored two more points in two fewer minutes, totaling 39 minutes of playing time compared to King’s 41 minutes.

Oklahoma City Thunder – Fred Brown And Russell Westbrook (58 Points)

With all of the scoring titles Kevin Durant won with the Thunder, one would have thought Durant would have easily had this record. Instead, Durant never owned even a share of this record. Durant’s best game with the team was 54 points in 2014. Even then, Fred Brown still owned the record at 58 points. Brown set this on March 23, 1974, when he scored 48 points on 24 of 37 shooting and 10 of 13 shooting at the line.

Westbrook beat Durant two times in his career. That included a 57-point night in later March. His best game was on March 7, 2017, when Westbrook scored 58 points in 36 minutes against the Trail Blazers. Westbrook shot 21 of 39 from the field, three of nine from three-point range, and 13 of 16 at the free throw line.

Orlando Magic – Tracy McGrady (62 Points)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWiDdd7EWhI

One player has reached at least 60 points with the Magic, while three players have reached 50 points with the team. Before Tracy McGrady, Nick Anderson and Shaquille O’Neal took turns owning the franchise record. Anderson scored 50 points in 1993, while O’Neal scored 53 points in 1994.

McGrady came to town and grew into a scoring champion and scoring sensation. He set the record on March 10, 2004, when he erupted for 62 points against the Wizards. McGrady shot 20 of 37 from the field and added 10 rebounds. McGrady might have hit 70 points had he hit a few other shots. McGrady was 5 of 14 from three-point range and 17 of 26 at the free-throw line.

Philadelphia 76ers – Wilt Chamberlain (68 Points)

Allen Iverson had a tough draw. Iverson scored 60 points in 2005 and for most franchises, that would be in the conversation for the most points in a single game. Instead, he has to look up to Wilt Chamberlain’s 68 points. Chamberlain was a different breed during the 60s and the rest of the future stars pay the price unless they join a historic realm of 69 or 70 points.

Chamberlain scored 62 and 65 points during the same season in 1965-66. The best mark came on December 16, 1967. Chamberlain added 34 rebounds on a night he shot 30 of 40 from the field. His 75% shooting was marred by an 8 of 22 night at the free throw line. Chamberlain could have been the only player to ever score at least 70 points with two franchises having two more free throws gone down.

Phoenix Suns – Devin Booker (70 Points)

Before the NBA Finals and his All-NBA First Team selection last year, we knew that Booker was going to be special. His 70-point night was the best scoring output since his 2006 showing of Bryant. Booker torched the Celtics on March 24, 2017, when he shot 21 of 40 from the field. Booker was also 24 of 26 from the free throw line and 4 of 11 from three-point range.

Before Booker, Tom Chambers set the record in 1990 when he scored 60 points. Both Booker and Chambers own the top-4 spots with two great games a piece. Moving forward, who knows if Booker can break his record later in his career?

Portland Trail Blazers – Damian Lillard (61 Points)

Two games featured 61 points, and both came from Lillard. Both came in the same calendar year as well. The first 61-point game came on January 20, 2020, when Lillard shot 17 of 37 from the field, including 11 of 20 from three-point range. Lillard added 10 rebounds for his double-double night.

Lillard’s other game came on August 11, 2020, when he scored 61 points in 41 minutes. He shot 17 of 32 from the field and 9 of 17 from three-point range. Lillard was masterful from the free-throw line each time. Lillard was 16 of 16 in the first instance and 18 of 18 the second time.

Sacramento Kings – Jack Twyman (59 Points)

Six players have reached at least 50 points in a game. Oscar Robertson, Kevin Martin, Nate Archibald, Chris Webber, and DeMarcus Cousins have all reached that plateau. While each has entered the 50-point club, nobody has been able to tackle a record that has stood for 62 years.

Twyman scored 59 points on January 15, 1960, when he shot 21 of 39 from the field and 17 of 20 at the free throw line. Cousins has come the closest when he scored 56 points on January 25, 2016. Cousins even shot 70% from the field, but this seems like a record that just wants to stick around.

San Antonio Spurs – David Robinson (71 Points)

George Gervin made history when he scored 63 points in 1978. At the time, it was the first time that a Spurs player eclipsed the 60-point threshold. However, a player by the name of David Robinson was drafted and he became a legend with the team.

Robinson scored 71 points in 44 minutes on April 24, 1994, against the Clippers. He shot 26 of 41 from the field and 18 of 25 at the free-throw line. Robinson even made one of his two three-point attempts. His double-double night featured 14 rebounds as well. The closest crack at the record was LaMarcus Aldridge in 2019, when he scored 56 points against the Thunder.

Toronto Raptors – Fred VanVleet (54 Points)

VanVleet is the Cinderella story that you want to read about. Out of Rockford, Illinois, VanVleet was not a highly coveted college recruit. He started at Wichita State and then went undrafted. He rose through the ranks and became a critical piece of the bench in 2019 when the Raptors won the championship. That led to signing the most money for an undrafted player.

Last year, VanVleet was an All-Star for the first time in his career, but before that, he was making a name for himself. VanVleet became the fourth player in team history to score at least 50 points in a game but the first to score 54 points. VanVleet scored 54 points in 37 minutes on 17 of 23 shooting, including 11 of 14 from three-point range and nine of nine at the free-throw line.

Utah Jazz – Pete Maravich (68 Points)

Two players have reached 60 points in a game. Maravich set the franchise record for points on February 25, 1977. Maravich scored 68 points in 43 minutes on 26 of 43 shooting, including 16 of 19 at the free throw line. He also added six rebounds and six assists against the Knicks.

Karl Malone is the other player to reach at least 60 points. Malone scored 61 points in 1990 against the Bucks. For starters, it’s been 45 years since this record took place. Another surprising fact is that no player has reached 50 points with the Jazz in the 2000s. The last time a player reached 50 points in a game was Malone in 1998.

Washington Wizards – Gilbert Arenas And Bradley Beal (60 Points)

The original record of 56 points was set in 1968 by Earl Monroe. It was 38 years before Gilbert Arenas set the new record of 60 points on December 17, 2006. Arenas enjoyed a night of shooting 17 of 32 from the field in 49 minutes. Arenas also shot 5 of 12 from three-point range and 21 of 27 at the free-throw line.

Beal’s game was during a season that saw him make a run at the league’s scoring title. While Beal came up second overall in that race, he remains at the top for the franchise’s scoring record. Beal scored 60 points in 38 minutes. Beal shot 20 of 35 from the field, including 7 of 10 from three-point range and 13 of 15 at the free-throw line.  

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