Top 10: Most points in NBA game by one player

The sophomore shooting guard was the lone bright spot for the Phoenix Suns in a season which was spent in the doldrums of the lottery
The sophomore shooting guard was the lone bright spot for the Phoenix Suns in a season which was spent in the doldrums of the lottery

#1 Wilt Chamberlain - 100 Points, 2nd March 1962

Golden State Warriors  v Philadelphia 76ers
Chamberlain 41 points and opposition center Imhoff had been benched due to foul trouble

Statline: 100 points, 25 rebounds, 2 assists, 36-of-63 shooting, 28-of-32 on free throws

Match Score: Philadelphia Warriors 169-147 New York Knicks

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

A big part of Wilt Chamberlain's legend is his 1961-62 season when he averaged a frankly outrageous 50 points and 25 rebounds per game while playing 48.5 MINUTES PER GAME.

This man, who towered above the rest of the NBA at his peak, turned in a perfect demonstration of his dominance at Hershey Sports Arena on the 2nd of March, 1962.

In the three games he played before this one, he'd already scored 67, 65 and 61 points. He started off extremely hot, making his first five shots and getting 23 points through the first quarter, including nine made free throws.

By halftime, he had 41 points and opposition center Imhoff had been benched due to foul trouble.

Guy Rodgers, a teammate, said "Let's get the ball to Dip. Let's see how many he can get." Wilt showed them just how many, reaching a total of 69 points by the end of the third. He was close to topping his highest score of 78, and he just decided to go for it from that point on, despite the Warriors holding a 126-105 lead.

The Knicks began intentionally fouling other Warriors in order to prevent Chamberlain from reaching 100 points after he reached a total of 89 with over half of the fourth quarter remaining.

The Warriors began to reciprocate this tactic to keep time on the shot clock in order to allow Chamberlain enough time to reach the magic number, and he duly did so with 40 seconds remaining in the game.


Which of these Single game scoring performances was your favourite? Sound off in the comments section below!

Los Angeles Lakers Fan? Check out the latest Lakers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Quick Links

Edited by Alan John
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications