From Wilt to Luka: The Greatest Scoring Performances in NBA History

Scoring explosions are the rarest and most electrifying moments in basketball—nights when one player seems unstoppable, bending the game to their will. Few achievements capture the imagination of fans quite like a single-player scoring outburst, and the NBA’s history is filled with nights that have become immortalized in basketball lore.

It all began on March 2, 1962, when Wilt Chamberlain set a record that still stands: 100 points in a single game for the Philadelphia Warriors. Even without the benefit of the 3-point line, Chamberlain’s dominance that night has remained the gold standard for offensive brilliance. More than six decades later, no player has truly come close.

Fast forward to October 2025, when Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers delivered his own historic effort—51 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists against the Sacramento Kings. Though his performance was one for the ages, it still falls short of cracking the top echelon of all-time scoring games. It did, however, place him in elite company with Luka Dončić, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden as the only players in the last 40 years to post at least 50-11-9 in a single game.

These iconic performances, spread across eras and playing styles, illustrate how scoring greatness evolves—but the essence remains the same: one player, one night, and a moment that echoes through basketball history.

1. Wilt Chamberlain’s Unmatched Dominance

No name is more synonymous with scoring than Wilt Chamberlain. During the 1961–62 season, he was unstoppable, averaging a jaw-dropping 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game. That year produced not only his famous 100-point outing against the New York Knicks, but several other scoring landmarks that would define his career. In that legendary game, Chamberlain shot 36-of-63 from the field and an incredible 28-of-32 from the free-throw line, finishing with exactly 100 points in a 169–147 victory. Remarkably, the game wasn’t televised, and only about 4,000 fans were present at Hershey Sports Arena to witness it live. His teammates made a concerted effort to feed him the ball in the second half, as the crowd and bench players began to realize something extraordinary was happening. Chamberlain’s other historic nights were nearly as astonishing. On December 8, 1961, he dropped 78 points and 43 rebounds in a triple-overtime duel with the Los Angeles Lakers, playing all 63 minutes. He also posted 73 points on three separate occasions during the 1961–62 season, dominating with consistency that feels mythical by modern standards. Even in games where his teams lost, Chamberlain’s numbers defied logic. His scoring feats remain not just records, but enduring reminders of an athlete so dominant that even decades later, his numbers look almost superhuman.

2. Kobe Bryant’s Modern Masterpiece

If Chamberlain’s 100 points defined one era, Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game defined another. On January 22, 2006, Bryant delivered the most prolific scoring performance of the modern era, propelling the Los Angeles Lakers to a 122–104 comeback win over the Toronto Raptors. Bryant’s efficiency was staggering: 28-of-46 from the field, 7-of-13 from three, and 18-of-20 from the line. After the Lakers trailed by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, Bryant single-handedly willed them back, scoring 27 in the third quarter and 28 in the fourth. He accounted for nearly all of the team’s points in the final period, showcasing his legendary ability to take over games under pressure. That performance cemented Bryant’s reputation as one of the game’s most lethal scorers and came during a season in which he averaged a career-best 35.4 points per game, leading the NBA. While 81 fell short of Chamberlain’s century mark, it remains the closest any player has come in over half a century—and a defining moment in Bryant’s Hall of Fame legacy. Bryant’s night bridged eras, proving that in a faster, more perimeter-driven NBA, a single player could still reach near-mythic scoring levels through willpower, skill, and relentless competitiveness.

3. The Modern Era: Efficiency and Evolution

As the NBA evolved into a faster, more spaced-out game, new stars emerged to redefine what high scoring looks like. On January 26, 2024, Luka Dončić etched his name into the record books with a 73-point outburst against the Atlanta Hawks—the most points scored in a game since Bryant’s 81. Dončić’s efficiency was almost as breathtaking as his total: 25-of-33 shooting, including 8-of-13 from deep, and 15-of-16 from the free-throw line. He added 10 rebounds and 7 assists, leading Dallas to a 148–143 win. The performance carried emotional weight as well—it came on the fourth anniversary of Bryant’s passing, linking one generational scorer to another. Before Dončić, Chamberlain and David Thompson shared the record for 73 points. Thompson’s legendary performance came on April 9, 1978, when he erupted for 32 first-quarter points—still an NBA record—to chase George Gervin for the scoring title. Though Thompson lost the title later that same day, his effort remains one of the greatest single-game showcases of skill and motivation. Even with more 3-pointers, advanced analytics, and evolving play styles, these modern scoring feats show that the artistry of putting the ball in the basket remains timeless—and that the chase for Chamberlain’s unreachable 100 is alive, if not realistic.