The record for the most points scored in an NBA game by a single player is 100 points by Wilt Chamberlain for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.

Below is a Quick Scoop–style breakdown based on your post template.

What is the most points scored in an NBA game?

All-time individual record

  • Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a 169–147 win by the Philadelphia Warriors over the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on March 2, 1962.
  • No one else has reached even 90; Kobe Bryant is second with 81 points for the Lakers vs. the Raptors on January 22, 2006.
  • Chamberlain’s 100-point night has stood for over six decades and is widely viewed as one of the NBA’s most “unbreakable” records.

Highest-scoring team game (bonus)

If you meant combined team points in a single NBA game , the record is 370 total points: Detroit Pistons 186 – 184 Denver Nuggets (triple overtime) on December 13, 1983.

That game also set records for most points by one team in a game (186 by Detroit) and second-most by a team (184 by Denver).

Mini FAQ

  • Q: Who is closest to Wilt’s 100?
    A: Kobe Bryant with 81 points in 2006, followed by several of Chamberlain’s own games in the 70s.
  • Q: Is there any recent player near that territory?
    A: Modern stars like Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Joel Embiid, and Luka Dončić have hit 70+ in recent years, but still far from 100.

Quick HTML table (top individual games)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Rank</th>
      <th>Player</th>
      <th>Points</th>
      <th>Team vs. Opponent</th>
      <th>Date</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>1</td>
      <td>Wilt Chamberlain</td>
      <td>100</td>
      <td>Warriors vs. Knicks</td>
      <td>March 2, 1962</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>2</td>
      <td>Kobe Bryant</td>
      <td>81</td>
      <td>Lakers vs. Raptors</td>
      <td>Jan. 22, 2006</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>3</td>
      <td>Wilt Chamberlain</td>
      <td>78</td>
      <td>Warriors vs. Lakers (3OT)</td>
      <td>Dec. 8, 1961</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

(All table data based on league and media records of single-game scoring leaders.)

TL;DR:

  • Most points by a player in an NBA game: 100 (Wilt Chamberlain, 1962).
  • Most combined points in an NBA game: 370 (Pistons 186 – 184 Nuggets, 1983, 3OT).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.