Scoring is arguably the most important skill in basketball, and there’s no doubt that a team generally doesn’t win a lot of games without at least one elite scorer present on their roster.
With Damian Lillard’s recent 71-point game, it makes sense to try and compile the highest-scoring games in NBA history. In the article below, we have put together a list that features those high-scoring games, starting with Wilt Chamberlain’s 70-point game.
T12. Wilt Chamberlain – 70 Points
Credit: Fadeaway World
Stats: 70 Points, 18 Rebounds, 3 Assists, (Steals And Blocks Not Recorded)
Wilt Chamberlain is the first person on our list, and he had the earliest 70-point game. He was in the middle of his prime with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1963, averaging 44.8 PPG during the 1962-63 season. It was his second-highest-scoring season, and this game exemplifies just why his average was so high.
As our readers will see later, Wilt Chamberlain is frequently featured on this list of high-scoring games. He used to play every minute of every game, and that combination of durability and high-level volume scoring is what allowed Wilt Chamberlain to be a statistic anomaly.
T12. Devin Booker – 70 Points
Stats: 70 Points, 8 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 3 Steals, 1 Block
Devin Booker is the youngest player to score a 70-point game in NBA history, and we should have known the sort of player that he’d become back then. Though this effort came in a loss against the Boston Celtics, it was clear that Devin Booker had the potential to be a top-tier superstar even back then.
The next highest scorer in the Phoenix Suns lineup was Alex Len with 11 points, and it is clear that the Suns needed every bit of Booker’s 70 to even stay in the game. Luckily, Devin Booker is in a much better situation now, especially since the Phoenix Suns acquired Kevin Durant ahead of the trade deadline.
T8. David Robinson
Stats: 71 Points, 14 Rebounds, 5 Assist, 0 Steals, 2 Blocks
David Robinson’s 71-point game is definitely impressive on its own, but it is also known for being the game that won David Robinson the scoring record in 1994. Though the team emphasized giving Robinson the ball, and he continued to play in the game after the lead was comfortably in the Spurs’ hands, it was still a very impressive feat that solidified Robinson as the best scorer in the league that year.
No other player on the San Antonio Spurs scored in double digits that day, and it is clear that David Robinson carried the majority of the scoring load for the team. Though obviously, circumstances may have inflated his production, even the ability to produce on high volume like this while playing elite defense makes Robinson’s performance very impressive.
T8. Elgin Baylor
Credit: Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 71 Points, 21 Rebounds, 1 Assist (Steals And Blocks Not Recorded)
Elgin Baylor is one of the most legendary Los Angeles Lakers of all time, and he deservedly has a statue outside the Crypto.com Arena. He was well-known as an elite scoring forward, paving the way for other forwards to dominate at a high level. This game shows just how elite his scoring ability was.
The 21 rebounds here on top of the scoring definitely stand out, as Elgin Baylor was only 6’5. It is rare that we see a 6’5 player grab that many rebounds, and it is clear that Elgin Baylor was simply determined to win on that day by absolutely any means necessary.
T8. Donovan Mitchell
Stats: 71 Points, 8 Rebounds, 11 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block
Donovan Mitchell’s 71-point game came against the Chicago Bulls this year, and there is no doubt that this was an impressive game. He even got drug tested after the game, and he shocked the world with this performance. What is crucial as well is that he got a big win against a solid Eastern Conference team.
What is notable here is that Donovan Mitchell managed to put up 11 assists and 8 rebounds, almost getting a 71-point triple-double. It would have been insane to see that happen, but it is clear that this was still an insane performance from Donovan Mitchell.
T8. Damian Lillard – 71 Points
Stats: 71 Points, 6 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Blocks
Damian Lillard’s 71-point game is the most recent 70-point game, and it was absolutely insane to witness live. He notably hit a career-high of 13 3PT shots to get it done, and he showed both his shooting prowess and scoring ability in this game against the Houston Rockets.
Though the Houston Rockets are not known for being an elite defense this year, Damian Lillard’s performance was absolutely special. The Rockets threw everything they could at Damian Lillard, but he still managed to score despite the heavy attention. He shot a blistering 59.1% from the 3PT range, and it is clear that he entered the zone where he was absolutely locked in.
7. Wilt Chamberlain – 72 Points
Credit: Fadeaway World
Stats: 72 Points, 18 Rebounds, 1 Assist (Steals And Blocks Not Recorded)
This game featured Wilt Chamberlain putting up 72 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had a really good squad featuring stars Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, and it is easy to see why Chamberlain lost. Sometimes, there is simply a talent gap between two competing teams.
Still, Wilt Chamberlain clearly did his best to keep the San Francisco Warriors in the game. Though he may have ended up losing this game, it is clear that Wilt Chamberlain dominated on an individual level.
T4. Wilt Chamberlain – 73 Points
Credit: Fadeaway World
Stats: 73 Points, 36 Rebounds, 0 Assists (Steals And Blocks Not Recorded)
This game of Wilt Chamberlain’s career came against the Chicago Packers, who had All-Star center Walt Bellamy guarding him. Though Bellamy was a fantastic player who averaged 31.6 PPG and 19.0 RPG for the Packers that year, it is clear that he was no match for Wilt Chamberlain.
It is definitely impressive that Wilt Chamberlain was able to do this against another All-Star center, which shows that he wasn’t simply beating up on easier opposition. There’s no doubt that scoring multiple 70-point games is tough in any era, and Wilt Chamberlain certainly didn’t have it easy.
T4. Wilt Chamberlain – 73 Points
Credit: Fadeaway World
Stats: 73 Points, 14 Rebounds, 1 Assist (Steals And Blocks Not Recorded)
A lot of Wilt Chamberlain’s elite scoring games were against the New York Knicks, and that is the case here. Chamberlain put up an extremely efficient high-scoring double-double here, shooting 67.4% from the field and 78.9% from the line. Wilt Chamberlain was one of the worst free-throw shooters ever, so when he ended up shooting well from the line, the result was a night such as this one.
Though this win didn’t come against the best competition at the time, as the Knicks went 21-59 over the course of the season, it is still impressive that Wilt Chamberlain was able to put up 70-point games with such ease.
T4. David Thompson – 73 Points
Credit: Fadeaway World
Stats: 73 Points, 7 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block
David Thompson was a high-level wing player in the late 70s, though unfortunately, his promising career was derailed by his drug addiction issues. However, he is one of the 8 players in NBA history that has managed to get a 70-point game, which shows just how good he was in his prime.
During this game, David Thompson was simply too good for the Detroit Pistons’ defense, as he shot 73.7% from the field. He had some help from Dan Issel this game as the big man put up 14 points and 10 rebounds, but it is clear that Thompson took it upon himself to win this game.
3. Wilt Chamberlain – 78 Points
Credit: Fadeaway World
Stats: 78 Points, 43 Rebounds, 1 Assist (Steals And Blocks Not Recorded)
This game of Wilt Chamberlain’s career came against the Los Angeles Lakers in a close win, with the Philadelphia Warriors winning 151-147. He managed to outplay Lakers stars Elgin Baylor and Jerry West in this contest, and his stat line alone speaks for how dominant he was here. The Philadelphia Warriors did end up losing the game, however.
This is obviously a top-3 scoring performance in NBA history, but we should note that the 43 rebounds that Wilt Chamberlain grabbed also make this a top-10 rebounding performance in NBA history. Chamberlain also played 63 minutes in this triple-overtime game, which also shows a high level of conditioning and fortitude.
2. Kobe Bryant – 81 Points
Stats: 81 Points, 6 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 3 Blocks, 1 Steal
Kobe Bryant is one of the most respected legends in the game, and there is no doubt that the legend was held in high regard due to his scoring ability. That scoring ability was on full display against the Toronto Raptors when Kobe Bryant scored 81 out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 122 Points.
There are many accounts of how unstoppable Kobe Bryant was during that game. Even though the Raptors put a solid defender on him in Jalen Rose, it didn’t matter in the end. Kobe Bryant was notably compared to Michael Jordan after the game, though the star didn’t welcome those comparisons, noting that they are two different players. However, it is easy to see why people said what they said: Kobe Bryant showed his full array of three-level scoring and cemented himself as one of the best scorers of all time with this game.
1. Wilt Chamberlain – 100 Points
Credit: Fadeaway World
Stats: 100 Points, 25 Rebounds, 2 Assists (Steals And Blocks Not Recorded)
This is the most legendary scoring game we have seen in NBA history. Nobody has come close to breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game, and it is an achievement that the majority of people who follow the NBA know about and respect. It must be noted, however, that Wilt Chamberlain was actually embarrassed about getting that many points, pointing out that “on the playground,” nobody wants to play with a guy that takes that many shots.
The game itself came against the New York Knicks, with the center playing all 48 minutes to score 100 points. What is impressive is that he was also highly efficient during the game, shooting 57.1% from the field and 87.5% from the free throw line. It is clear that being able to score that efficiently on such a high volume is insane, and Wilt Chamberlain was simply a 1 of 1 player.
The Full List Of NBA Players Who Scored The Most Points In A Single Game
There are obviously some other great scoring games that weren’t featured as part of the above list. Below we have the full list of players who scored the most points ina single game.
T26. Elgin Baylor – 64 Points (1959)
T26. Rick Barry – 64 Points (1974)
T26. Michael Jordan – 64 Points (1993)
T22. Wilt Chamberlain – 65 Points (1962)
T22. Wilt Chamberlain – 65 Points (1962)
T22. Wilt Chamberlain – 65 Points (1966)
T22. Kobe Bryant – 65 Points (2007)
21. Wilt Chamberlain – 66 Points (1969)
T17. Wilt Chamberlain – 67 Points (1961)
T17. Wilt Chamberlain – 67 Points (1962)
T17. Wilt Chamberlain – 67 Points (1962)
T17. Wilt Chamberlain – 67 Points (1963)
T15. Wilt Chamberlain – 68 Points (1967)
T15. Pete Maravich – 68 Points (1977)
14. Michael Jordan – 69 Points (1990)
T12. Wilt Chamberlain – 70 Points (1963)
T12. Devin Booker – 70 Points (2017)
T8. Elgin Baylor – 71 Points (1960)
T8. David Robinson – 71 Points (1994)
T8. Donovan Mitchell – 71 Points (2023)
T8. Damian Lillard – 71 Points (2023)
7. Wilt Chamberlain – 72 Points (1962)
T4. Wilt Chamberlain – 73 Points (1962)
T4. Wilt Chamberlain – 73 Points (1962)
T4. David Thompson – 73 Points (1978)
3. Wilt Chamberlain – 78 points (1961)
2. Kobe Bryant – 81 Points (2006)
1. Wilt Chamberlain – 100 Points (1962)
Source: fadeawayworld
