Image: Wiki Commons by Keith Allison
About This Quiz
Fans have taken their seats, warmups are over and players have been introduced. There's a buzz throughout the entire stadium as everyone prepares for a show. Then, there's that one player who's in the zone, ready to put on a grand performance as soon as the first whistle blows. That player comes out hot and racks up 15 points in the first quarter and over 30 points by the half. They don't slow down in the second half either, as they score bucket after bucket on their way to a 50-point game.
There have been hundreds of 50-point games throughout NBA history, as it's not uncommon for any player to have a hot hand on a single night. But the players who were able to accomplish it multiple times throughout their careers are the ones who are really special. One player even had over 100 games where he put up at least 50 points.Â
From former legends to current stars, will you be able to identify all of these NBA players with 50-point games on their resumes? You'll have to think back quite a while to get some of these correct. If you're up for the challenge, get started and find out what kind of score you can put up.
Dominique Wilkins
Jerry West
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar put up enough 50-point games to finish his career as the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. At the time of his retirement following the 1989 season, Abdul-Jabbar had scored 38,387 points.
Karl Malone
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Adrian Dantley
LeBron James
LeBron James is known more for his ability to get his team involved in a game than for his scoring prowess. However, considering he's usually the best scorer on his team, he's often been called upon to put up points, which is why he has so many 50-point games.
Tracy McGrady
Moses Malone
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Jerry West
Jerry West sits on a list with a small group of players who scored 50 or more points in an NBA Finals game. West was able to accomplish the feat in 1969 against the Boston Celtics. The Los Angeles Lakers won that game but ultimately lost the Finals.
Larry Bird
Karl Malone
Gilbert Arenas
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Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is one of only a few players to score over 50 points in a playoff game, which he accomplished in 2019 against the Los Angeles Clippers. The game occurred in the first round, as Durant scored 50 points to help the Golden State Warriors defeat the Clippers 129-110.
Stephen Curry
Anthony Davis
Carmelo Anthony
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Russell Westbrook
Tracy McGrady
Stephen Curry
With the ability to shoot the three-point shot from anywhere past half court, Stephen Curry is a danger to go for 50 points on any given night. He's so good from beyond the three-point line that Curry holds the NBA record for the most three-pointers in a season.
Klay Thompson
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Rick Barry
Kevin Durant
James Harden
In recent years, James Harden has been putting up offensive numbers that haven't been seen since Wilt Chamberlain was on the court. While putting up those numbers, Harden has led the league in scoring the past two seasons and is on pace to do it again in the 2019-20 season.
Russell Westbrook
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Tom Chambers
Dirk Nowitzki
Larry Bird
While many of the NBA's elite scorers needed a ton of shots to score points, Larry Bird was one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. He even had two seasons where he shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from the three-point line and 90 percent from the free-throw line to become a member of the 50-40-90 club.
Oscar Robertson
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Stephen Curry
Jamal Crawford
Kyrie Irving
Allen Iverson
When Allen Iverson was in his prime, no defender wanted to line up in front of him because they knew he would put them on skates and get around for an easy score. Iverson even used his signature crossover on legendary defenders like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
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Jamal Crawford
Anthony Davis
Dwyane Wade
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is a lethal downhill scorer, who plays his best basketball in the open court. Anytime he gets out ahead of a defense, few defenders have the ability to track him down and block his shot.
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Karl Malone
Dominique Wilkins
Dominique Wilkins was known as "The Human Highlight Reel" because he could do things on the court that most players at the time weren't capable of. He used his unique athleticism to win two Slam Dunk Contest in 1985 and 1990.
Moses Malone
Russell Westbrook
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Kobe Bryant
Even in the final game of his career, Kobe Bryant couldn't be stopped from scoring at an elite level. In that final game, Bryant scored 60 points on 50 shots to help the Los Angeles Lakers take down the Utah Jazz.
LeBron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bernard King
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Carmelo Anthony
As the NBA developed into a game of constant moving parts, Carmelo Anthony's role in the league started to diminish. He could still score in isolation, but that style of play had become too predictable. To stay in the league, Anthony had to adapt his game to create a pass or shoot mentality.
Dwyane Wade
Kyrie Irving
Jimmy Butler
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Allen Iverson
Michael Jordan
Considering Michael Jordon was a 10-time scoring champion, it comes as no surprise that he sits near the top of the list of players with the most 50-point games. Jordan was such a great scorer, in fact, that he finished his career averaging the most points per game of any NBA player.
Dominique Wilkins
Larry Bird
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Jimmy Butler
David Robinson
A two-way star, David Robinson was one of the most accomplished stars in NBA history. Not only did he win a scoring title in 1994, but he followed that season up with an MVP season in 1995.
Gilbert Arenas
Tom Chambers
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Bob Pettit
Damian Lillard
Nate Archibald
Bernard King
In the 1983-84 season, Bernard King became one of the first players to score back to back 50-point games while playing for the New York Knicks. During both games, King made 20 of his shots while also adding in 10 free throws.
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Klay Thompson
After Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson's contributions were often overlooked, but he was still as spectacular as he was when the Warriors won 73 games without Durant. Besides, even with Durant, Thompson still averaged over 20 points per game and could get hot on any given night.
Devin Booker
DeMarcus Cousins
Kemba Walker
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Giannis Antetokounmpo
Alex English
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal was so powerful underneath the basket that he could literally break the backboard if he slammed the ball too hard. Defenders had to deal with his power, as well, and O'Neal often got the best of the matchup, slamming the ball over those who guarded him.
Hakeem Olajuwon
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George Mikan
Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich's scoring prowess followed him all the way back to college, where he scored 3,667 total points during his time at LSU. With an average of 44.2 points per game, Maravich sits as the all-time leading scorer for NCAA Division I basketball.
Bob McAdoo
Tom Chambers
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Carmelo Anthony
Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis is the only NBA player to score over 50 points in an NBA All-Star Game, which he accomplished in 2017. After helping the Western Conference win the game, Davis took home the All-Star Game MVP.
Shaquille O'Neal
DeMarcus Cousins
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James Harden
Kobe Bryant
Elgin Baylor
Wilt Chamberlain
For his era, Wilt Chamberlain was the most dominant player the NBA had ever seen. He set numerous records, including the most 50-point games in a career. He even scored 100 points in a game, the only player to ever do so.
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Kyrie Irving
David Robinson
Michael Redd
Dwyane Wade
Few defenders wanted to face off against Dwyane Wade during his prime, as he had an offensive arsenal that was nearly impossible to defend. One of his defining moves was his two-step, which he used in a variety of ways to get to the basket.
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Tom Chambers
DeMarcus Cousins
When healthy, DeMarcus Cousins is the perfect center in the modern NBA. He has the ability to post up defenders but can also step out to the three-point line and hit a shot when called upon. This skill set is why Cousins is averaging 21.2 points per game for his career.
Dirk Nowitzki
Hakeem Olajuwon
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Patrick Ewing
Moses Malone
Moses Malone was one of the best players in the NBA early in his career, but he failed to win a title on the teams he played for. He joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 1982 and won his only championship during his first season in Philadelphia.
Michael Redd
Oscar Robertson
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Nate Archibald
Standing 6 feet 1 inch, Nate Archibald wasn't the largest NBA player to ever take the court, but that didn't mean he couldn't score with the best of them. In his best season, Archibald led the league in scoring with 34 points per game while also dishing out 11.4 assists.
George Mikan
Jamal Crawford
Dwyane Wade
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David Robinson
Devin Booker
Bob McAdoo
Before injuries slowed his career, Bob McAdoo was one of the most explosive offensive talents in the NBA. He led the league in scoring for three straight seasons from 1974 through 1976, which included a career high of 34.5 points in 1975.
Gilbert Arenas
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Moses Malone
Shaquille O'Neal
George Gervin
George Gervin spent the first part of his professional career in the ABA, but he didn't really take off as a scorer until he reached the NBA in 1976. In his first six seasons in the NBA, Gervin led the league in scoring on four different occasions.
Tom Chambers
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Dwyane Wade
Devin Booker
Gilbert Arenas
Tracy McGrady
Even though Tracy McGrady couldn't find much success in the playoffs, he was always a spectacle to watch during the regular season. He was particularly great in 2003 and 2004 when he led the league in scoring two years in a row.
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Adrian Dantley
Adrian Dantley averaged over 30 points per game for four straight seasons with the Utah Jazz between 1981 and 1984. He did most of his damage by maneuvering around larger defenders on his way to the basket but could also post up smaller defenders if necessary.
Jerry West
Nate Archibald
David Robinson
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Jimmy Butler
Phil Smith
Kemba Walker
Kyrie Irving
After joining the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving opened up the 2019-20 season with a 50-point game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The matchup between the two teams went into overtime, but Irving's 50 points weren't enough to secure the victory.
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Elgin Baylor
Even though he was one of the top scorers in NBA history, Elgin Baylor was never able to turn that scoring into a championship as an active NBA player. However, he did reach several NBA Finals and holds the scoring record for a Finals game with 61 points.
Adrian Dantley
George Gervin
Karl Malone
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Moses Malone
Jamal Crawford
David Robinson
Karl Malone
Karl Malone's 11 All-NBA First Team selections show why he was such a dominant player in the NBA. Playing a total of 19 NBA season, Malone finished his career as the second all-time leading scorer with 36,928 points.
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Bob Pettit
Pete Maravich
Rick Barry
Rick Barry was not only a dominant scorer in the NBA but was also great while in college and in the ABA before it went under. Barry is actually the only player to lead all three leagues in scoring for a season.
Larry Bird
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Klay Thompson
Jamal Crawford
After acquiring a starting role on the New York Knicks, Jamal Crawford eventually landed with the Atlanta Hawks, where he accepted a role as a sixth man coming off the bench. The role worked out for Crawford, who went on to win three Sixth Man of the Year awards.
Jimmy Butler
Giannis Antetokounmpo
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George Gervin
Damian Lillard
For the first time in his career, Damian Lillard put on a spectacular playoff run to make it to the 2019 Western Conference Finals. His team didn't fare as well in the Conference Finals, however, going down 4-0 to the Golden State Warriors.
Carmelo Anthony
Jamal Crawford
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Gilbert Arenas
Throughout his NBA career, Gilbert Arenas was known for his ability to score in crunch time when the points mattered the most. Because of his late-game heroics, Arenas earned the nickname "Agent Zero."
Michael Redd
Vince Carter
Elvin Hayes
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Kemba Walker
Mo Williams
Jimmy Butler
A late first-round draft pick, Jimmy Butler was primarily a defender early in his career and didn't average over 10 points until his third season in the NBA. However, Butler continued to work on his offensive game and eventually became a player who could score 50 points when hot.
Chris Webber
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Oscar Robertson
Kemba Walker
Allan Houston
Devin Booker
Devin Booker is the star on a Phoenix Suns team that has struggled to win games since he was drafted in 2015. Without any other major talent on the team, Booker has had plenty of opportunities to have big scoring games, which is why he's hit the 50-point mark three times.
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Larry Bird
George Mikan
Richie Guerin
Bob Pettit
With the ability to pull down rebounds while also scoring points, Bob Pettit was the epitome of an All-Star in the NBA. He always played big in the All-Star Game as well, taking home a record four NBA All-Star Game MVPs.
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Richie Guerin
Bob McAdoo
George Mikan
One of the earliest stars of the game, George Mikan helped revolutionize many aspects of the NBA because of his dominance on the floor. Not only could he score, but Mikan was so great on defense that the NBA had to create the goaltending rule and move the foul lane out.
Tom Chambers
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Richie Guerin
One of Richie Guerin's best games was a 57-point performance he put up while playing for the New York Knicks in 1959. That performance was a Knicks record until it was broken in 1984 by Bernard King.
Dirk Nowitzki
Geoff Petrie
Alex English
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You Got:
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