Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo delivered a historic performance on Tuesday night, scoring 83 points. This places him second in NBA history for the most points in a game. He surpassed Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who scored 81 points in 2006 against the Toronto Raptors.
Adebayo’s epic performance still trails Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game.
Adebayo’s Record-Breaking Performance
Adebayo’s stat line in the Heat’s 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards included nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks. He hit seven 3-pointers on 22 attempts. Adebayo scored 43 points in the first half, exceeding his previous full-game career high of 41.
Adebayo set records for most free throws made (36) and attempted (43) in an NBA game. He also broke Heat franchise records for most points in a quarter (31), half (43) and game (83). Adebayo’s record-setting night came 12 years and one week after LeBron James set the previous Heat record with 61 points against the then-Charlotte Bobcats.
Prior to Tuesday night’s game, Adebayo’s career high was 41 points. The total from his two highest-scoring games (41 and 38) was less than the 83 he scored against the Wizards.
Historical Context of Adebayo’s Scoring Feat
Adebayo is the 11th different player in NBA history to score at least 70 points in a game. The others include Chamberlain, Bryant, Luka Doncic, David Thompson, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor, Joel Embiid and Devin Booker.
He is the first player with a 60-point game this season. Nikola Jokic had been the last player with a 60-point game, scoring 61 in April.
- Adebayo is the 12th different player to score at least 50 points in a game this season.
- The record for most 50-point scorers in a season is 14, done in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Key Moments During the Game
Adebayo scored 62 points through three quarters. This is the most by any player since Bryant had 62 on Dec. 20, 2005, vs. the Dallas Mavericks.
Adebayo had 31 points in the first quarter, the most in the opening frame since Kevin Love had 34 in 2016. He is the first player in Heat history to attempt 40 field goals in a game.
Adebayo’s 43 field goal attempts are the most for a player in a non-overtime game since Bryant attempted 50 shots in 2016. Adebayo joins Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history with 20 made field goals and 25 made free throws in a game.
There have been 11 games this season in which a team failed to score at least 83 points. Adebayo’s 83 points surpassed the total score of some entire teams this season.