Sports
These are the 10 NBA players who have scored more in a single game than Giannis Antetokounmpo just did – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Giannis Antetokounmpo has found himself collecting a number of noteworthy achievements in his NBA career, and his 64-point performance against Indiana on Dec. 13 was no different. Only 25 times in NBA history has a player scored more than 64 points in a game, and Wilt Chamberlain is responsible for most of them.
Here are the players who have achieved the mark:
It’s perhaps one of the most hallowed single-game performances in all of sports, when Chamberlain led the Philadelphia Warriors to a 169-147 victory over the New York Knicks. Chamberlain hit 36 of 63 shots and made 28 of 32 free throws.
But Chamberlain has positively littered the NBA record book with monster scoring performances.
If you’re wondering, Chamberlain is seventh on the all-time scoring leaderboard, having played roughly 65-75% the number of games as others higher up on the list. But he ranks just below Michael Jordan all-time in points per game with 30.1.
*indicated scoring performance came in a loss^ Yes, as gross as it sounds, there was a team called the Chicago Packers for one season, in 1961-62. Future Hall of Famer Walt Bellamy was on the team and won Rookie of the Year that season.
The modern gold standard came from Bryant against the Toronto Raptors in a 122-104 Lakers victory, with Bryant hitting 28 of 46 shots (7 of 13 from three-point range) and 18 of 20 at the line.
Bryant is also on the list for his 65-point performance on March 16, 2007, a 116-111 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, where he was helped by hitting eight of 12 from beyond the arc.
Sparked by a race for the scoring title with George Gervin, Thompson made 28 of 38 shots for the Denver Nuggets in their season finale, but the Detroit Pistons got the last laugh, 139-137. The Nuggets went on to beat the Bucks in the Western Conference semifinals, 4-3, with Thompson scoring 37 in Game 7.
The Los Angeles Lakers standout had a huge hand in beating the Knicks that night, 123-108, wowing the Madison Square Garden crowd and setting a new NBA record. The win was part of a unique doubleheader, with the Celtics and Pistons playing in the first game.
Baylor also scored 64 points on Nov. 8, 1959, as a member of the Minnesota Lakers in a win over the Boston Celtics.
Just like in Thompson’s case, the scoring record was on the line when The Admiral headed into the last game of the year. Robinson, battling with Shaquille O’Neal for the NBA scoring crown, came away with the prize and couldn’t be stopped as the Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 112-97. At the time, only three other players had scored 70 points in a game.
We’re nearing the one-year anniversary of Mitchell’s excellent showing in a 145-134 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls. It’s one of the most efficient performances on the list, with Mitchell hitting 22 of 34 shots (7 of 15 from three-point range). It’s the fewest shot attempts from the field of anyone on this list, except Giannis (20 for 28). Mitchell forced overtime by rebounding his own intentionally missed free throw with 3 seconds left, then scored 13 points in the extra session.
That’s right, Giannis doesn’t even have the highest single-game performance on his current team from the past calendar year. Granted, Lillard was with the Blazers when he helped his team down the Rockets, 131-114, amending his own franchise record of 61 points (set twice). Lillard has also scored 60 points twice and has the top six single-game showings in Portland history.
Booker hit 21 of 40 shots, although the Suns lost to the Boston Celtics that night, 130-120. Just 20 years old at the time, Booker became the third-youngest player to even record a 50-point game, behind LeBron James and Milwaukee’s own Brandon Jennings.
Most attention is understandably paid to Jordan’s 63-point performance as a rookie in the playoffs, but his career high came against the Cleveland Cavaliers much later in his career as part of a 117-113 win. Jordan added 18 rebounds, six assists and four steals in what might have been his regular-season magnum opus.
Jordan also scored 64 points against the Magic on Jan. 16, 1993, but the Bulls lost the game, 127-124.
Pistol Pete led the New Orleans Jazz to a 124-107 win over the Knicks, including a particularly memorable no-look bank shot over Marquette University star Dean Meminger.
Barry led the Golden State Warriors to a 143-120 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Elgin Baylor scored 63 points in a game on Dec. 8, 1961, for the Los Angeles Lakers in a win over the Philadelphia Warriors — the same game where Chamberlain scored 78 points. The Lakers prevailed, 151-147, in triple overtime. Others to score 63 in a game were:
*indicated scoring performance came in a loss
