Bam Adebayo scored a career-high and toppled some Miami Heat and NBA records along the way Tuesday night.
Adebayo shot 20-of-43 from the field, including 7-of-22 from 3-point distance. He went to the free throw line a lot, shooting 36-of-43, both NBA records for free throws made and attempted by a single player in a game.
He played 42 minutes as the Heat blew out the Wizards 150-129. He more than doubled his previous career-high of 41 points.
Wilt Chamberlain has the highest single game total with his 100-point game against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.
Here’s are the best scoring nights in NBA history:
1. Wilt Chamberlain, 100, March 2, 1962
Chamberlain played all 48 minutes against the Knicks in a 169-147 win, hitting 36 of his 63 field goal attempts. The usually shaking free throw shooter (51.1% for his career) hit 28 of his 32 free throw attempts in this one, a record for makes that Adrian Dantley tied in 1984 but had not been surpassed until Adebayo knocked down 36 from the line on Tuesday night.
2. Bam Adebayo, 83, March 10, 2026
Adebayo hit 20 of his 43 field goal attempts, including going 7-for-22 from 3. He made a record 36 free throws on 43 attempts.
3. Kobe Bryant, 81, Jan. 22, 2006
Bryant’s best game stood No. 2 in NBA history for 20 years. He hit 28 of his 46 field goals in a 122-104 win against the Raptors, including a 7-for-13 mark from 3-point range.
4. Wilt Chamberlain, 78, Dec. 8, 1961
Chamberlain scored 70 points or more six times in his career. As a member of the Philadelphia Warriors, Chamberlain had this 78-point game in a 151-147 loss to the Lakers.
T-5. Luka Doncic, 73, Jan. 26, 2024
Doncic scored 73 a couple seasons ago as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. He notched the scoring feat, a career-high for him, against the Atlanta Hawks. Revenge game? Maybe. Doncic was originally drafted by the Hawks with the third pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but was traded on Draft Day to Dallas.
Doncic and the Mavericks won that game 148-143. Doncic wasn’t the only player in NBA history to finish a game with 73 points.
T-5. David Thompson, 73, April 9, 1978
David ‘Skywalker’ Thompson was known for dunking on heads in highlights, but he was also one of the best scorers of his era. Do you homework, Gen-Z. On one particular night in April 1978, Thompson put up 73 points for the Denver Nuggets in a 139-137 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
T-5. Wilt Chamberlain, 73, twice
Chamberlain’s basketball prowess was mythological. He had 73-point games in back-to-back seasons.
On Jan. 13, 1962, Chamberlain had 73 for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 135-117 win against the Chicago Packers. Same year, but the next season after the team relocated to San Francisco, Chamberlain did it again, scoring 73 on Nov. 16 against the Knicks in a 127-111, win.
9. Wilt Chamberlain, 72, Nov. 3, 1962
You get the picture about Chamberlain, but he’s going to appear again in this list. On this particular date, he went for 72 in a 127-115 loss to the Lakers. Chamberlain shot 29-of-48 and went 14-of-18 at the free throw line. No 3s, of course.
T-10. Damian Lillard, 71, Feb. 26, 2023
Lillard showed the Houston Rockets what ‘Dame Time’ meant, again. He’s broken the hearts of Houstonians, whether in the regular season or postseason. This time it was a 71-point game that did it. Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers won 131-114.
Lillard made as many 3-point field goals, as 2s, with nine each. He added 14 free throws.
T-10. Donovan Mitchell, 71, Jan. 2, 2023
Mitchell scored 71 with the Cleveland Cavaliers a month and some change before Lillard’s output. It also came with a win, as the Cavs downed the Chicago Bulls, 145-134. Mitchell shot 22-of-34, including 7-of-15 from distance. He shot 20-of-25 from free throw line, but the most surprising stat is that he still dished 11 assists.
Other 70-point scorers in NBA history
Although a rare feat, a few other players have hit the 70-point threshold in their careers … and others were extremely close.
San Antonio Spurs big man David Robinson scored 71 points in the final regular season game to take the NBA scoring title on April 24, 1994 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Another 71-point game in NBA history came from Lakers all-time great Elgin Baylor on Nov. 15, 1960 in a 123-108 win against the Knicks.
Joel Embiid scored 70 points during the 2024 season against the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama. He hit his career-high a few days before Doncic scored his 73. Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers won 133-123 on Jan. 22. It was the 18-year anniversary of Bryant’s 81-point game.
Devin Booker also scored 70 points in a game against the Boston Celtics, in a 130-120 loss on March 24, 2017. Chamberlain hit 70, again, on March 10, 1963 in a 163-148 loss to the Syracuse Nationals.
For what it’s worth, Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan has a career-high of 69 points.
