6 NBA players who scored 70 points in a single game

Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns.
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns.

Scoring outbursts can happen on any given day from an NBA schedule. The talent is just too big in the world's greatest basketball league and we've witnessed some incredible scoring performances throughout the history of the league. While we've seen a couple of 60-point games in the current season, not many fans have been able to see a 70-point game from an NBA superstar.

In this piece, we will do a review of the players who achieved a 70-point game during their NBA careers.

6 NBA players who scored at least 70 points in one match

There have only been 11 games where a player scored 70 points throughout the NBA's 74-year history. Most recently, the Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker became a member of the 70-point club when he put up that number in a loss against the Boston Celtics in 2017.

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In this piece, we will give you the six players with 70-point games in NBA history.


#6 Devin Booker

Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns.
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns.

On March 24th, 2017, Devin Booker visited Boston's TD Garden and had the greatest scoring night of his career. With 70 points against the Boston Celtics on the road, Booker became the sixth player in NBA history to reach that mark, and the youngest ever to do so at 20 years and 145 days (actually, he is also the youngest ever to score at least 60 in a game).

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In that game, Booker put up 40 shots and made 21. He also made four threes out of his 11 attempts and made 24 of his 26 free throws. Despite his individual effort, the Suns fell 130-120 to the Celtics.


#5 David Robinson

David Robinson.
David Robinson.

While chasing the 1993-94 scoring title, 'The Admiral' David Robinson put up an amazing 71-point performance against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 24th, 1994.

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David Robinson needed a huge scoring game to seal the 1993-94 regular season with the scoring title. To overtake Shaquille O'Neal for the scoring crown, Robinson went out to score against the Clippers and his teammates helped him all the way. He eventually won the scoring crown as he averaged 29.8 points per game in the season.


#4 Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor.
Elgin Baylor.

The legendary Elgin Baylor, arguably the greatest player to never win an NBA championship, is also a member of the 70-point club. On November 15th, 1960, Baylor exploded for 71 points against the New York Knicks.

That was the first 70-point game in NBA history.

Baylor made 28 of his 48 field goals on the night and also made 15 of his 19 free-throw attempts. He surpassed his previous career-high of 64 points handsomely and also grabbed 25 rebounds to seal a 122-113 win for the LA Lakers.

#3 David Thompson

David Thompson.
David Thompson.

David Thompson is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and he had a stellar eight-year career in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets and Seattle SuperSonics.

In his third NBA season, the 1977-78 campaign, 'Skywalker' Thompson had an extraordinary outing against the Detroit Pistons on April 9th, 1978. Thompson scored 73 points and made 28 of his 38 field-goal attempts. He scored 53 points in the first half and then added 20 in the second half in the Nuggets' loss to the Pistons.


#2 Kobe Bryant

The late, great Kobe Bryant.
The late, great Kobe Bryant.

Kobe Bryant is one of only six players in NBA history with multiple 60-point games, and also one of six with at least 70 points in a single game. Bryant's scoring outbursts during the 2005-06 NBA season were unique, and on January 22nd, 2006, he put up one of his greatest shows against the Toronto Raptors at the Staples Center.

The LA Lakers' legend put up 81 points against Toronto after scoring 55 points in only the second half.

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Bryant was on fire en route to the NBA scoring title and was averaging 40.7 points per game in his previous 14 outings, but his 81-point game was incredible to witness and will forever live in NBA fans' memories alongside his legendary career and life.

Bryant made 28 of his 46 field-goal attempts that day, seven of his 13 three-pointers, and 18 of his 20 free throws. Bryant became only the second player in NBA history to reach 80 points in a single game.


#1 Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt.
Wilt.

This report couldn't have been done without including Wilt Chamberlain in the mix. Chamberlain owns most of the NBA records and when it comes to scoring, he will always make the list.

Not only is he one of just six players with a 70-point game in his NBA career, but Chamberlain is also the only player in NBA history with multiple games of at least 70-points (he did it six times).

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He also has the most 60-point games in NBA history (32), and 50-point games (118). The closest player in terms of 50-point games is Michael Jordan, and he 'only' had 31.

Chamberlain had 32 of the 77 games of at least 60 points in NBA history, and six of the 11 games of at least 60 points by a player in a single game.

Of course, he holds the record for most points scored in a single game, with 100 points against the New York Knicks on March 2nd, 1962, while playing for the Philadelphia Warriors.


Also read: Five Longest winning streaks in NBA history

Phoenix Suns Fans? Check out the latest Suns depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

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Edited by Rohit Mishra
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