Friday, March 29

Most 60-point games in NBA history: Nets’ Kyrie Irving explodes for career-high and franchise record 60 points


Just one day after Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns poured in a career-high 60 points, Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving followed it up with a 60-point performance of his own in a 150-108 road win over the Orlando Magic.

It’s the first time since 1962 that we’ve seen 60-point games on consecutive days, with Wilt Chamberlain doing it himself.

The other four times it’s happened, Chamberlain accounted for seven of the eight 60-point games.

Alongside Towns, it’s the most points scored in the NBA this season and Irving is now the 32nd player in NBA history to score 60. He’s also just the 12th active player with a 60-point game.

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Irving’s performance also marks the seventh 50-point game in the NBA within the last 11 days, with Irving and Nets teammate Kevin Durant recording two each in that span.

Here is everything you need to know about Irving’s record-setting performance.

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Kyrie Irving’s career-high points

Irving’s 60 points is a career-high, topping his previous best of 57 which came in the 2014-15 season. In a 128-125 win over the San Antonio Spurs, Irving needed overtime to put up 57, which at the time set a new franchise record, breaking LeBron James’ previous best of 56 in 2005. LeBron would go on to tie Irving’s 57 points in 2017.

Irving’s 60-point outing is the most points scored in a single game by a Nets player in franchise history, beating Deron Williams’ 57 points in 2012. 

He now has four games of 50+ points for the Nets, also the most in franchise history, ahead of Kevin Durant (2), the only other player with more than one.

Irving’s 60 came on a wildly efficient 20-of-31 from the field, 8-of-12 from the 3-point line and 12-of-13 from the free-throw line, adding six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

He went to work early, dropping 41 points in the first half, joining Kobe Bryant (42 in 2003) and Klay Thompson (40 in 2016) as the only players in the past 25 years to score at least 40 points in the first half. 

Irving’s 41 first-half points are also the most points scored in a half since Devin Booker dropped 51 of his 70 points in the second half against the Boston Celtics in 2017.

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Most 60-point games in NBA history

Irving is the 32nd player in NBA history and the 12th active player to score 60 in a single game. It’s officially the 78th 60-point game in league history.

MORE: Most 50-point games in NBA history

Wilt Chamberlain has almost half of the league’s 60-point games with 32. James Harden and Damian Lillard are the only active players with more than one.

Here is a breakdown of every player to do it.

Players with 60-Point Games
Player Games
Wilt Chamberlain 32
Kobe Bryant 6
James Harden 4
Michael Jordan 4
Elgin Baylor 3
Damian Lillard 3
Karl-Anthony Towns 1
Kyrie Irving 1
Carmelo Anthony 1
Gilbert Arenas 1
Rick Barry 1
Bradley Beal 1
Larry Bird 1
Devin Booker 1
Tom Chambers 1
Stephen Curry 1
Joe Fulks 1
George Gervin 1
Allen Iverson 1
LeBron James 1
Bernard King 1
Karl Malone 1
Pete Maravich 1
Tracy McGrady 1
George Mikan 1
Shaquille O’Neal 1
David Robinson 1
Jayson Tatum 1
David Thompson 1
Klay Thompson 1
Kemba Walker 1
Jerry West 1

Most points in a game this season

Irving has the second 60-point game of the season. He is the 13th player with a 50-point game and it’s the 16th 50-point game so far, two of which belong to Irving after dropping 50 points against the Charlotte Hornets on March 8.

The 12 different 50-point scorers is one shy of the most ever in a single season. Back in 2018-19, 13 different players had a 50-point game.

Most Points In A Game This Season
Date Player Points
Mar. 15 Kyrie Irving 60
Mar. 14 Karl-Anthony Towns 60
Mar. 5 LeBron James 56
Jan. 3 Trae Young 56
Mar. 6 Jayson Tatum 54
Mar. 13 Kevin Durant 53
Feb. 28 Ja Morant 52
Feb. 10 Luka Doncic 51
Jan. 23 Jayson Tatum 51
Dec. 12 Kevin Durant 51
Mar. 11 LeBron James 50
Mar. 8 Kyrie Irving 50
Feb. 15 Giannis Antetokounmpo 50
Jan. 19 Joel Embiid 50
Jan. 2 Jaylen Brown 50
Nov. 8 Stephen Curry 50
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