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While some players in the NBA have never hit the 50-point mark, a few have done so on a rather consistent basis. Stephen Curry is two 50-point games away from joining three other active players on the top ten all-time list.
Scoring is a skill that many have mastered. The great Wilt Chamberlain is one such player, who still holds the record for the most points in a single game after he put a staggering 100 past the New York Knicks in March 1962.
Damian Lillard's 55 points in Game 4 of the 2021 NBA playoffs put him one spot ahead of LeBron James, bringing his tally to 14 50-point games. With an active contract that will have him playing till 2015, Lillard has the opportunity to go higher up the list.
On that note, here are the five players with the most 50- point games in the NBA. These tallies include both the regular season and the playoffs. Without further ado, let's get started:
#5 Elgin Baylor - 18 50-point NBA games
Elgin Baylor started his NBA career in 1958 after he was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers as the No. 1 pick in the draft. He started on an incredible note, scoring 25 points on his debut.
Baylor's 50+ points journey started in his rookie season, where he scored 55 points against the Cincinnati Royals on February 25, 1959. At the time, the three-point range was not recognized, meaning his 22 field goals all counted as two points.
Despite Baylor's brilliance, the Lakers did not meet any success in the playoffs. He led them to 12 consecutive NBA playoffs, but failed to win the championship. After a 14-year career, he retired with 18 50+ three-pointers
#4 James Harden - 24 50-point NBA games
James Harden has always been exceptional during the NBA regular season, but has failed to replicate such performances during the playoffs. Although he was drafted by the OKC Thunder in 2009, he spent the bulk of his career playing for the Houston Rockets.
Harden has had a tremendous run in the last five NBA seasons. He earned the regular-season MVP award in 2018, and went on to lead the league in scoring for three consecutive seasons (2018-20).
Although his partnership with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving might reduce his productivity, Harden remains one of the top bucket-getters in the NBA. Harden has the most 50-point games among all active players, and could add more to his tally in the upcoming 2021-22 NBA season.
#3 Kobe Bryant - 26 50-point NBA games
Kobe Bryant played in the NBA for 20 years, and in period, he accumulated 26 50-point games. He has the second-highest tally of points scored in a single game following his 81-point explosion against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.
Bryant played for the same franchise throughout his 20-year career. He was selected by the LA Lakers in the 1996 NBA Draft, and played for them till his retirement in 2016.
In the final game of his career, Bryant registered 60 points against the Utah Jazz. His No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys hang from the rafters in Staples Center.
#2 Michael Jordan - 39 50-point NBA games
It is near impossible not to find Michael Jordan in most record lists in the NBA. To date, he remains the most popular basketball player worldwide.
MJ was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984 as the third overall pick behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. However, it was Jordan who turned out to be the poster boy for the NBA.
Even with several breaks in his career, Jordan always made a comeback in a big way. Although he was active for only 15 years, he led the Bulls to six NBA championships, and had 39 50-point games.
Jordan was a menace at both ends of the floor, as he was an efficient scorer and made stops in defense. For seven consecutive seasons, he led the league in scoring, while averaging 30+ points in each campaign.
#1 Wilt Chamberlain - 122 50-point NBA games
Although Wilt Chamberlain does not top the NBA's all-time points leaderboard, he is the most effective scorer in the history of the league. As stated earlier, he holds the record for the most points scored in a single game, with exactly 100.
Considering how easy scoring was for Chamberlain, he successfully registered 122 50-point games during his 14-year career. He played for the Harlem Globetrotters for a year before he was selected by the then Philadelphia Warriors in the 1959 NBA draft.
As far as records go, Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in the NBA who has averaged over 40 and 50 points in a season. He also led the league in rebounds for a record 11 seasons, averaging at least 18 rebounds per season throughout his career.
The Big Dipper was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978, and has his No. 13 jersey retired by all franchises he played for, including the Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and LA Lakers.
Guess the Lakers players!
