Wilt Chamberlain still owns the record for the most points scored in an NBA game. He scored 100 points on March 2, 1962. The game was in Hershey, Pennsylvania. His Philadelphia Warriors beat the New York Knicks 169-147. Chamberlain scored 23 in the first quarter and had 41 by halftime. He added 28 in the third and 31 in the fourth. He shot 36 of 63 from the field and made 28 of 32 free throws. That was surprising because he was a 51.1% free-throw shooter for his career. He also grabbed 25 rebounds and had two assists.

After the game, team statistician Harvey Pollack wrote “100” on a piece of paper. Chamberlain held it up for photographers. That photo became one of basketball’s most famous images. The record has stood for more than 60 years. Only two players have come within 20 points of it. They are Bam Adebayo in 2026 and Kobe Bryant in 2006.

The closest chase came from Bam Adebayo. He scored 83 for the Heat against the Wizards on March 10, 2026. Bryant is next with 81. He did it for the Lakers against the Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006. Chamberlain also had a 78-point game. That came in triple overtime for the Warriors against the Lakers on Dec. 8, 1961. Going into the 2024-25 season, the NBA had seen 15 games of 70 or more points. 

The playoffs have their own scoring history. Only two players have gone over 60 in a playoff game. They are Elgin Baylor and Michael Jordan. Both did it against the Celtics. Baylor scored 61 for the Lakers in a win over Boston in Game 5 of the 1962 NBA Finals. That was April 14, 1962. His record lasted 24 years. Jordan broke it with 63 points for the Bulls at Boston in Game 2 of the 1986 first round. That game went to double overtime. The Bulls lost. Larry Bird later described Jordan’s performance as “God disguised as Michael Jordan.”

Most Points Scored in an NBA Game (Top 5)

1. Wilt Chamberlain: 100 Points

Chamberlain scored 100 points on March 2, 1962. He did it for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The Warriors won 169 to 147. Chamberlain played all 48 minutes of the game. He made 36 of 63 shots from the field. He also made 28 of 32 free throws. The game was not shown on television. The only visual proof is a photo of Chamberlain holding a paper with 100 written on it. No other player has come within 17 points of this record. 

2. Bam Adebayo: 83 Points

Bam Adebayo scored 83 points on March 10, 2026. He played for the Miami Heat against the Washington Wizards. The Heat won 150 to 129. Adebayo became only the second player ever to score 80 or more points in an NBA game. The first was Chamberlain. Adebayo made 20 of 43 shots from the field. He made 7 of 22 three-point shots. He set NBA records for free throws made and attempted in one game. He made 36 free throws and attempted 43. His previous career high was 41 points. 

3. Kobe Bryant: 81 Points

He scored 81 points on January 22, 2006. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Toronto Raptors. The Lakers won 122 to 104. For 20 years this was the closest any player came to Chamberlain’s 100-point game. Bryant made 28 of 46 shots from the field. He made 7 of 13 three-point shots. He also made 18 of 20 free throws. The Lakers were down by 14 points at halftime. Bryant scored 55 points in the second half alone. 

4. Wilt Chamberlain: 78 Points

He scored 78 points on December 8, 1961. He played for the Philadelphia Warriors against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Warriors lost the game 151 to 147. This is still the highest-scoring game in a losing effort in NBA history. Chamberlain made 31 of 62 shots from the field. He made 16 of 31 free throws. It was one of 32 times in his career that he scored 60 or more points. The Warriors still came up short that night. 

5. Luka Dončić: 73 Points

Luka Dončić scored 73 points on January 26, 2024. He played for the Dallas Mavericks against the Atlanta Hawks. He was very efficient that night. He made 25 of 33 shots from the field. That is 75.8 per cent shooting. He made 8 of 13 three-point shots. He also made 15 of 16 free throws. His true shooting percentage was 91.2 per cent. That is one of the highest ever for a 70-point game. This performance tied David Thompson and Wilt Chamberlain for the fifth-highest single game scoring total in NBA history.

FAQs

Q. Who holds the record for the most points scored in an NBA game?

A. He holds the record with 100 points scored in 1962.

Q. Who scored 83 points in an NBA game in 2026?

A. Bam Adebayo scored 83 points for the Miami Heat against the Washington Wizards.

Q. How many points did Kobe Bryant score in his highest-scoring NBA game?

A. He scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.

Q. Who holds the NBA playoff single-game scoring record?

A. Michael Jordan holds the record with 63 points against the Boston Celtics in 1986.

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