You hear whispers about it, maybe see it mentioned during a broadcast when someone drops 60. People debate if it will ever happen again. Seriously, what was the most points scored in an NBA game? It's not just some random trivia question; it's arguably the single most iconic individual achievement in basketball history. And the answer is etched in stone: 100 points by Wilt Chamberlain. But just knowing the number feels... empty, right? Like listing the height of Mount Everest without mentioning the climb. This record is wrapped in myth, context, and a whole lot of disbelief. Let's unpack the whole incredible story.
Wilt Chamberlain's 100-Point Game: The Night History Was Made
Forget Madison Square Garden or the Forum. This piece of history happened in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Yeah, Hershey. Like the chocolate. March 2nd, 1962. The Philadelphia Warriors hosted the New York Knicks at the Hershey Sports Arena, a venue more accustomed to minor league hockey than NBA barnstormers. About 4,000 fans showed up – a far cry from the packed houses we see today. Frankly, it felt like just another game on the schedule. Nobody had a clue they were about to witness something that would still dominate conversations over 60 years later.
Wilt was already a force of nature. He was averaging a ridiculous 50 points per game *for the entire season*. Fifty! Think about that. The man was on a mission. That night against the Knicks? Something else entirely. He scored 23 points in the first quarter. Solid, but not earth-shattering for him. Then came the second quarter: another 18. Halftime total: 41 points. Okay, now people were paying attention. He kept pouring it on: 28 points in the third quarter. That brought him to 69 points heading into the fourth. The Warriors knew what was happening. They started feeding him relentlessly. The Knicks tried fouling other players to prevent him getting the ball, desperate to stop history. It didn’t work.
| Quarter | Points Scored by Wilt Chamberlain | Running Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 23 | 23 |
| 2nd | 18 | 41 |
| 3rd | 28 | 69 |
| 4th | 31 | 100 |
He hit the century mark with just 46 seconds left on a dunk off an assist from Joe Ruklick. The final score was 169-147. One hundred and sixty-nine points! The pace of that game was just insane by modern standards. Now, here's the kicker: there is no known video footage of the entire game. Just some grainy audio snippets and the legendary photo of Wilt holding up a piece of paper with "100" written on it. How wild is that? The greatest single-game scoring performance ever, and we can't even watch it properly. Makes you wonder what other moments are lost to time. It adds this layer of mystery to the whole thing. Was it *really* that dominant? All accounts from players and that sparse box score say absolutely yes.
The Box Score Doesn't Lie (Much)
Let's look at the cold, hard numbers:
- Minutes Played: 48 (Played the whole game, naturally)
- Field Goals Made: 36 out of 63 attempts (That's a LOT of shots!)
- Free Throws Made: 28 out of 32 attempts (This is the shocker – Wilt was famously a terrible free-throw shooter, career average around 51%. But on this night? He was unconscious, hitting 87.5%. Maybe the Hershey air?)
- Rebounds: 25 (Because averaging 50 points a game wasn't enough, he also dominated the boards)
(Note: Rebound totals from that era can sometimes be inconsistent, but 25 is the widely accepted number.)
People sometimes try to downplay it. "Oh, the defense wasn't as good back then." "No shot clock pressure like now!" "Where was the double-teaming?" Look, the NBA in the early 60s was different, no doubt. Zone defenses were illegal, and yes, the athleticism gap between Wilt and everyone else was huge. But scoring 100 points in a professional basketball game? Against other professionals? Let's be real, that's superhuman, regardless of the era. You try scoring 100 points against your local rec league team! It’s still mind-boggling. The sheer physical endurance alone – constantly running, posting up, battling for rebounds, taking hits. And he did it without a three-point line! Every single one of those points came inside the arc or at the free-throw line. It's almost incomprehensible.
Closest Calls: Who Almost Touched the Untouchable?
Since Wilt's 100, the 70-point barrier has only been broken a handful of times. Getting into the 80s? Forget about it. Here’s a look at the players who came closest to challenging the record for the most points scored in an NBA game:
| Player | Team | Points | Date | Opponent | Final Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Robinson | San Antonio Spurs | 71 | April 24, 1994 | LA Clippers | 112-97 (W) | Last game of season; won scoring title over Shaq by 0.06 ppg. |
| Elgin Baylor | Los Angeles Lakers | 71 | November 15, 1960 | New York Knicks | 123-108 (W) | Set record before Wilt broke it months later. |
| David Thompson | Denver Nuggets | 73 | April 9, 1978 | Detroit Pistons | 137-139 (L) | Scored 53 points in the FIRST HALF. Chasing Gervin for scoring title. |
| Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia Warriors | 78 | December 8, 1961 | LA Lakers | 147-151 (L 3OT) | Only 3 months before his 100-point game! |
| Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | 81 | January 22, 2006 | Toronto Raptors | 122-104 (W) | Modern era record. 55 points in the second half. |
| Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns | 70 | March 24, 2017 | Boston Celtics | 120-130 (L) | Youngest player (20) to score 60+. |
| Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers | 71 | January 2, 2023 | Chicago Bulls | 145-134 (W OT) | Scored 13 points in final 30 seconds of regulation to force OT. |
| Luka Dončić | Dallas Mavericks | 73 | January 26, 2024 | Atlanta Hawks | 148-143 (W) | Tied for 4th highest ever; incredible efficiency (25/33 FG, 15/16 FT). |
Kobe Bryant's 81 points against the Raptors in 2006 is the closest anyone in the modern game has come. That performance felt otherworldly. I remember watching chunks of it – he was just on fire, pulling up from anywhere, getting to the rim, drawing fouls. But even Kobe, one of the greatest scorers ever, was still 19 points short.
More recently, we've seen explosions from Devin Booker (70), Donovan Mitchell (71), Damian Lillard (71), Joel Embiid (70), and Luka Dončić (73). These are phenomenal scoring feats, showcasing incredible skill and endurance. Dončić's 73 in particular was brutally efficient. But look at that gap: 73 to 100 is still 27 points. That's another superstar's entire night! It really puts Wilt's achievement into perspective.
Why 100 Seems Impossible Today
Think about how the game has changed:
- Defensive Schemes: Zones are legal now. Coaches throw double and triple-teams instantly at hot scorers. Help defense is far more sophisticated. You simply don't get to operate one-on-one consistently for 48 minutes. The moment you catch fire, the entire defense locks onto you.
- Pace vs. Efficiency: The 1961-62 season, when Wilt averaged 50 and scored 100, was played at a breakneck speed. Teams averaged over 118 possessions per game! Today's NBA averages about 100 possessions. While scoring efficiency is higher now due to three-pointers and rule changes favoring offenses, the sheer number of opportunities Wilt had was staggering. He took 63 shots! In today's game, a star might take 30-35 on a high-usage night. Asking a player to take 60+ shots is almost unthinkable. Coaches wouldn't allow it, teammates wouldn't accept it, and the player would likely break down physically.
- Player Rotation & Rest: Stars rarely play 48 minutes straight anymore. Load management is a thing. Superstars average 34-38 minutes per game. Playing the entire game, especially at the intensity required to chase 100, is exhausting and uncommon.
- Team Dynamics: The game is less about feeding one individual constantly (though stars dominate usage). Ball movement and three-point shooting spread the wealth. Deliberately freezing out teammates for 40 minutes to force-feed one guy 60+ shots would cause locker room chaos today. It would be seen as incredibly selfish basketball.
- Three-Pointer Paradox: You'd think the three-pointer makes chasing 100 easier, right? Score more points per possession! But it also spreads scoring around. Teams can rack up points quickly without one player taking *all* the shots. To score 100, one player would still need to dominate an insane share of the team's possessions and shots, even with threes. It's still a massive haul.
Could it happen? Maybe. But it would require a perfect, almost ridiculous storm: a transcendent scorer having an unconscious shooting night (hitting a crazy percentage from everywhere, including deep threes), playing 45+ minutes, teammates fully committed to feeding him exclusively against a team playing zero defense or in a multiple-overtime marathon, and a coach willing to let it happen despite a likely blowout. Every single factor has to align perfectly. Honestly? I doubt we'll ever see it. The game has evolved away from that kind of singular dominance. Wilt's era was unique. His combination of size, athleticism, stamina, and the specific circumstances surrounding that game feels like a one-off historical anomaly.
I remember talking to an old-timer at a game once. He saw Wilt play. He just shook his head and said, "Son, you wouldn't believe it. He was just... different. Like a grown man playing against boys sometimes." That stuck with me.
Beyond the Century Mark: Other High-Scoring Feats
While the individual record grabs headlines, the question "what was the most points scored in an NBA game" can sometimes make people think about total points by *both* teams. That record is also nuts. On December 13, 1983, the Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in TRIPLE overtime. Three hundred and seventy points! Imagine the scoreboard operator needing a chiropractor after that one. That game was pure offense, minimal defense, and seemingly endless running.
The highest-scoring regulation game? That belongs to the San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets on November 7, 1990. Spurs won 161-153. Three hundred and fourteen points without needing extra time. That's pure, unadulterated pace.
Highest Scoring Individual Quarters & Halves
Breaking down the scoring explosion into smaller chunks shows how Wilt and others built their massive nights:
- Most Points in a Quarter: 37 - Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors, 3rd quarter vs. Sacramento Kings, January 23, 2015). He was literally perfect (13/13 FG, 9/9 3PT) that quarter. Insane microwave heat check.
- Most Points in a Half: 59 - Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia Warriors, 2nd half vs. New York Knicks, March 2, 1962 - the 100-point game). David Thompson scored 53 in the *first* half for Denver in 1978.
Addressing Your Questions: The Wilt 100 FAQ
You Asked, We Answer: Burning Questions About the NBA Scoring Record
Okay, seriously, what was the most points scored in an NBA game? Is it really 100?
Yes, it absolutely is. Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962. This is the official NBA record and has stood for over six decades.
Where did the 100-point game happen?
It happened at the Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Not exactly an NBA hotspot! The Warriors played a few "home" games there each season.
Is there video of Wilt Chamberlain scoring 100 points?
This is the frustrating part for historians. No complete game footage exists. Only fragments of audio broadcast and that famous photo survive. The game wasn't nationally televised, and local broadcasts often didn't save tapes back then. It's a huge shame.
How many shots did Wilt take to score 100 points?
He attempted 63 field goals, making 36 (57.1%). He was also shockingly good at the free-throw line that night, making 28 of 32 attempts (87.5%), which was way above his career average.
Who has come closest to breaking Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point record?
Kobe Bryant's 81 points for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006, is the closest in the modern era. David Thompson scored 73 in 1978, and more recently, Luka Dončić also scored 73 in January 2024. Wilt himself had a 78-point game just months before the 100-pointer.
Could someone score 100 points in an NBA game today?
Possible? Technically, yes. Likely? Extremely doubtful. The combination of factors needed – incredible skill, superhuman endurance, teammates fully committed to feeding one player, a fast-paced game, weak opponent defense, no double-teams (unlikely!), playing almost the entire game, and a coach allowing it – makes it nearly impossible in today's team-oriented, defensively schemed, and strategically managed NBA. The sheer volume of shots required alone is prohibitive.
Has a woman ever scored 100 points in a professional game?
In the WNBA, the single-game scoring record is held by Liz Cambage, who scored 53 points for the Dallas Wings against the New York Liberty on July 17, 2018. No women's professional league has seen a 100-point game.
What's the highest-scoring NBA game ever (combined points)?
The Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime on December 13, 1983. That's 370 total points! The highest-scoring regulation game (no OT) is the San Antonio Spurs 161 vs. Denver Nuggets 153 (314 points) on November 7, 1990.
Did Wilt Chamberlain ever score 100 points again?
No. His 100-point game stands alone. His next highest was 78 points. He scored 70+ points six times and 60+ points a staggering 32 times in his career!
Why is Chamberlain's 100-point record considered untouchable?
Beyond the sheer number, it's the context. The pace of play back then allowed for vastly more possessions and shot attempts per player. Defensive rules were different (no zones). Wilt was a unique physical specimen dominating a league with less overall athletic depth compared to today. The confluence of those factors, combined with his incredible performance that specific night, creates a barrier that modern players, despite their immense skill, struggle to even approach due to the structural evolution of the game itself.
The Final Buzzer: Why 100 Stands Alone
So, when someone asks "what was the most points scored in an NBA game", the answer is clear: Wilt Chamberlain's 100. It's more than just a number; it's a monument to a different era and a player whose physical dominance was unprecedented. While modern stars like Luka, Booker, Mitchell, and Embiid put up jaw-dropping numbers in the 60s and 70s – achievements that deserve immense respect – the 100-point barrier remains a distant peak.
The evolution of the NBA, prioritizing complex defenses, strategic substitutions, team-oriented play, and player workload management, has built a huge wall around that record. Kobe’s 81 felt like a once-in-a-lifetime event. The recent 70-point games are spectacular highlights.
But 100? That's legendary territory. It stands as a testament to one incredible night in Hershey, a night fueled by chocolate, opportunity, and a giant named Wilt who did something we'll likely only ever talk about, never witness again. It's basketball's equivalent of climbing Everest without oxygen – a feat that leaves us shaking our heads and wondering, "How on earth...?"
Honestly? I kinda hope it stands forever. Some records just deserve to be mythical.
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