Advertisement

These are the 12 NBA players who have scored more in a single game than Giannis Antetokounmpo, including Joel Embiid and Luka Dončić

jr radcliffe, milwaukee journal sentinel
·7 min read

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 had a player scored more than 64 points in a game, and Wilt Chamberlain is responsible for most of them.

Of course, that was then. Joel Embiid had a huge 70-point night on Jan. 22, and then Luka Dončić outdid the 76ers star with 73 points on Jan. 26.

Here are the players who have achieved the mark (updated to include Embiid and Dončić).

FILE - Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors holds a sign in the dressing room in Hershey, Pa., after he scored 100 points as the Warriors defeated the New York Knickerbockers 169-147, March 2, 1962.
FILE - Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors holds a sign in the dressing room in Hershey, Pa., after he scored 100 points as the Warriors defeated the New York Knickerbockers 169-147, March 2, 1962.

Wilt Chamberlain (100 points on March 2, 1962)

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.

  • 78 points on Dec. 8, 1961 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers)*

  • 73 points on Jan. 13, 1962 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. Chicago Packers)^

  • 73 points on Nov. 16, 1962 (San Francisco Warriors vs. Knicks)

  • 72 points on Nov. 3, 1962 (San Francisco Warriors vs. Lakers)*

  • 70 points on March 10, 1963 (San Francisco Warriors vs. Syracuse Nationals)*

  • 68 points on Dec. 16, 1967 (Philadelphia 76ers vs. Chicago Bulls)

  • 67 points on March 9, 1961 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. Knicks)

  • 67 points on Feb. 17, 1962 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. St. Louis Hawks)*

  • 67 points on Feb. 25, 1962 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. New York Knicks)

  • 67 points on Jan. 11, 1963 (San Francisco Warriors vs. Lakers)*

  • 66 points on Feb. 9, 1969 (Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Sun)

  • 65 points on Feb. 13, 1962 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. Cincinnati Royals)*

  • 65 points on Feb. 27, 1962 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. St. Louis Hawks)

  • 65 points on Feb. 7, 1966 (Philadelphia 76ers vs. Lakers)

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.

Kobe Bryant drives around Raptors forward Matt Bonner on his way to scoring 81 points, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history, on Jan. 22, 2006.
Kobe Bryant drives around Raptors forward Matt Bonner on his way to scoring 81 points, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history, on Jan. 22, 2006.

Kobe Bryant (81 points on Jan. 22, 2006)

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.

Luka Dončić (73 points on Jan. 26, 2024)

A mere four days after Joel Embiid scored 70 and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 62 on the same night, Dončić delivered a virtuoso performance against Atlanta, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 148-143 victory on the road. Devin Booker of Phoenix, as it happens, had 62 on the same night in a loss to Indiana.

David Thompson of the Denver Nuggets is shown during the 1976 ABA All-Star dunk contest in Denver.
David Thompson of the Denver Nuggets is shown during the 1976 ABA All-Star dunk contest in Denver.

David Thompson (73 points on April 9, 1978)*

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.

Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles Lakers makes a fast break past the Golden State Warriors' McCoy McLemore (32) in San Francisco in October 1965.
Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles Lakers makes a fast break past the Golden State Warriors' McCoy McLemore (32) in San Francisco in October 1965.

Elgin Baylor (71 points on Nov. 15, 1960)

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.

1994-95: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
1994-95: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs

David Robinson (71 points on April 24, 1994)

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.

Donovan Mitchell celebrates after scoring 71 points to set the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise record.
Donovan Mitchell celebrates after scoring 71 points to set the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise record.

Donovan Mitchell (71 points on Jan. 2, 2023)

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.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard hits a three-point shot against the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game in Portland, Ore., Feb. 26, 2023. Lillard scored a franchise-record 71 points as the Blazers won 131-114.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard hits a three-point shot against the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game in Portland, Ore., Feb. 26, 2023. Lillard scored a franchise-record 71 points as the Blazers won 131-114.

Damian Lillard (71 points on Feb. 26, 2023)

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.

Joel Embiid (70 points on Jan. 22, 2023)

Giannis Antetokounmpo's 64-point game was the highest point total of the season for about a month and a half before this performance, in which Embiid set a new franchise record for the 76ers. In a 133-123 win over San Antonio, he hit 24 of 41 shots, made 21 of 23 free throws and also brought in 18 rebounds.

Devin Booker (70 points on March 24, 2017)*

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.

Michael Jordan never lost an NBA finals series or had to play in a seventh game while leading the Chicago Bulls to six world championships in eight seasons in the 1990s.
Michael Jordan never lost an NBA finals series or had to play in a seventh game while leading the Chicago Bulls to six world championships in eight seasons in the 1990s.

Michael Jordan (69 points on March 2, 1990)

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.

Utah Jazz guard Pete Maravich poses during a portrait session in New Orleans.
Utah Jazz guard Pete Maravich poses during a portrait session in New Orleans.

Pete Maravich (68 points on Feb. 25, 1977)

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.

Also at 64 points: Rick Barry (March 26, 1974)

Barry led the Golden State Warriors to a 143-120 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Players to score 63 points in a game

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:

  • Joe Fulks (Feb. 10, 1949, for Philadelphia Warriors vs. the Indianapolis Jets)

  • Jerry West (Jan. 17, 1962, for Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks)

  • Wilt Chamberlain (Dec. 14, 1962, for San Francisco Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers)*

  • Wilt Chamberlain (Nov. 26, 1964, for San Francisco Warriors vs. Philadelphia 76ers)*

  • George Gervin (April 9, 1978, for San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Jazz)*

*indicated scoring performance came in a loss

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The 12 NBA players who have scored more in a single game than Giannis