In basketball, points are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals (worth two points from within the three-point line or three points from beyond the three-point line) or free throws (worth one point). The team that records the most points at the end of a game is declared the game's winner. If the game is still tied at the end of regulation play, additional overtime period(s) are played in order to determine the winner.
In the years following the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1946, teams only averaged around 80 points per game. Before the introduction of the shot clock, teams often ran out the clock by passing the ball more frequently after having established a lead in a game. If one team did choose to stall, the opposing team (especially if behind) would often commit fouls to regain possession. This resulted in very low-scoring games with excessive fouls, which negatively affected attendance. Beginning in the 1954–55 season, the NBA implemented a 24-second shot clock, the aim of which was to speed up the game and create a more entertaining experience for those in attendance. If the offensive team failed to hit the rim with the ball within the allotted 24 seconds, they would lose possession. This innovation resulted in higher average scores. Consequently, all of the highest-scoring games in the NBA have happened during the shot-clock era.
Summary The highest-scoring regular-season game in NBA history is the triple-overtime game between the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets on December 13, 1983. The two teams combined to score 370 points, with the Pistons defeating the Nuggets 186–184. An NBA-record four players scored over 40 points in the game, including the Nuggets' Kiki Vandeweghe with a game-high 51. The two teams also set several other NBA records, including the most points scored by one team (186 points), the most points scored by a losing team (184), the most field goals by two teams (142), most field goals by one team (74) and most assists by two teams (93).
The highest-scoring regular season game in regulation was between the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets on November 2, 1990. In that game, Golden State defeated Denver 162–158. The Warriors' Chris Mullin scored a game-high 38 points. The Nuggets were coached by Doug Moe from 1980 to 1990 and Paul Westhead from 1990 to 1992, both of whom employed a run-and-gun offensive strategy, which focuses on attempting a high number of field goals while also conceding a large number of points on defense. In fact, Moe's and Westhead's Nuggets were participants in four of the ten highest-scoring regular season games in NBA history. The Warriors were coached by Don Nelson from 1988 to 1995 and 2006 to 2010. He employed Nellie Ball, a style of run and gun that uses smaller, more athletic players to outrun opponents. Another notable high-scoring regular season game is a March 2, 1962, game between the Philadelphia Warriors and the New York Knicks. In that game, the Warriors' Wilt Chamberlain scored an NBA-record 100 points.
The highest-scoring playoff game is the double-overtime game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns on May 11, 1992. The two teams combined to score 304 points, with the Trail Blazers defeating the Suns 153–151. The Suns' Kevin Johnson scored a game-high 35 points, with 12 other players also scoring in double figures. The highest-scoring playoff game in regulation occurred when the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Denver Nuggets with a score of 152–133 for a combined score of 285 points on April 26, 1983. In that game, the Spurs' George Gervin scored a game-high 42 points.
Most of the highest-scoring games happened before the 1995–96 season, when the average scoring (points per game) per team was always in the 100s. Until the emergence of small ball in 2013, the average had dropped down to the 90s. From 1995 though 2012, only two games made the top-ten lists of both the regular season and playoffs: a May 10, 2003, game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings and a December 7, 2006, game between the Phoenix Suns and New Jersey Nets. The Mavericks and the Suns were coached by Nelson and Mike D'Antoni respectively, both of whom also made use of the run-and-gun style. The 2018–19 season saw an entry into this list with a quadruple-overtime game between the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. The 2022–23 season then saw an entry into this list with the second-highest scoring game in history, a double-overtime game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings.
List + KeyOTOvertime (the number indicates the number of overtime periods played)*Indicates a game that was won by the road team
Highest-scoring regular season games Rank Total points Date Location Winner Result OT Loser Notes Ref.1McNichols ArenaDenver, ColoradoDetroit Pistons*186–1843Denver NuggetsNBA records Highest-scoring record The winning and losing teams respectively scored the most and second-most points in a game by one team The teams combined for 142 field goals The teams combined for 93 total assists 4 players scored at least 40 points Nuggets' Kiki VanDeWeghe scored a game-high 51 points, a career high. Leading scorers Pistons: Isiah Thomas (47), John Long (41), Kelly Tripucka (35) Nuggets: VanDeWeghe (51), Alex English (47), Dan Issel (28)2Crypto.com ArenaLos Angeles, CaliforniaSacramento Kings*176–1752Los Angeles Clippers Tied a then-record of combined 44 three-pointers made by both teams (was since broken on December 15, 2024). Second NBA game in which both teams scored 170+ points. Third and fourth NBA teams to score 175+ points. With both teams scoring 153 points in regulation, this game set the NBA record of the highest tie game score at the conclusion of regulation, breaking the previous record of the aforementioned 1983 Pistons-Nuggets game where both teams scored 145 points in regulation. Kings' Malik Monk scored a game-high 45 points, a career high. Leading scorers Kings: Monk (45), De'Aaron Fox (42), Domantas Sabonis (20) Clippers: Kawhi Leonard (44), Paul George (34), Norman Powell (24) This game was also the debut of Russell Westbrook as a Clipper.3HemisFair ArenaSan Antonio, TexasSan Antonio Spurs171–1663Milwaukee BucksFormer highest-scoring record 3 players scored 40+ points Spurs' George Gervin scored a game-high 50 points. Leading scorers Spurs: Gervin (50), Mike Mitchell (45) Bucks: Brian Winters (42), Junior Bridgeman (31), Bob Lanier (29)4329State Farm ArenaAtlanta, GeorgiaChicago Bulls*168–1614Atlanta HawksHighest scoring game with 4 or more overtimes in the NBA. Most losses by the losing team in a game with more than 316 points. Most losses by the winning team in a game with more than 316 points. Hawks' Trae Young scored a game-high 49 points. Leading scorers Bulls: Zach LaVine (47), Otto Porter Jr. (31), Lauri Markkanen (31) Hawks: Trae Young (49), Alex Len (24)5McNichols ArenaDenver, ColoradoGolden State Warriors*162–158—Denver NuggetsHighest-scoring game in regulation Warriors' Chris Mullin scored a game-high 38 points. Season opener of the 1990–91 season for both teams. Leading scorers Warriors: Mullin (38), Tim Hardaway (32), Mitch Richmond (29) Nuggets: Orlando Woolridge (37), Walter Davis (33)6McNichols ArenaDenver, ColoradoDenver Nuggets163–155—San Antonio SpursNBA record Both teams combined to score 99 points in a quarter Nuggets' Kiki Vandeweghe scored a game-high 50 points. Leading scorers Nuggets: Vandeweghe (50), Alex English (25) Spurs: George Gervin (38), John Lucas II (23)Continental Airlines ArenaEast Rutherford, New JerseyPhoenix Suns*161–1572New Jersey NetsSuns' Steve Nash scored a game-high 42 points. Nets' Jason Kidd recorded a triple-double. Leading scorers Suns: Nash (42), Shawn Marion (33), Raja Bell (24), Amare Stoudemire (23) Nets: Kidd (38), Vince Carter (31), Richard Jefferson (25)8Capital One ArenaWashington, D.C.Houston Rockets*159–158—Washington WizardsRockets' James Harden scored a game-high 59 points. Rockets' Russell Westbrook recorded a triple-double. Leading scorers Rockets: Harden (59), Clint Capela (21) Wizards: Bradley Beal (46), Rui Hachimura (23), Dāvis Bertāns (21)9Hershey Sports ArenaHershey, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia Warriors169–147—New York KnicksFormer highest-scoring record NBA record Warriors' Wilt Chamberlain scored a game-high 100 points. Leading scorers Warriors: Chamberlain (100) Knicks: Richie Guerin (39), Willie Naulls (33), Cleveland Buckner (31)Cincinnati GardensCincinnatiCincinnati Royals165–151—San Diego RocketsFormer highest-scoring record Rockets' Elvin Hayes scored a game-high 40 points. Leading scorers Royals: Tom Van Arsdale (36), Connie Dierking (34), Johnny Green (29), Oscar Robertson (28), Norm Van Lier (22) Rockets: Hayes (40), Don Kojis (23), John Block (20)Arizona Veterans Memorial ColiseumPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix Suns173–143—Denver NuggetsNBA record The Suns tied the Celtics (1959) for most points scored by one team in regulation. The Suns did not make a single three-point shot attempt. Both teams combined to score 174 points in a half The Suns scored 107 points during the first half of the game. Nuggets' Orlando Woolridge scored a game-high 40 points. Leading scorers Suns: Cedric Ceballos (32), Kevin Johnson (23), Kenny Battle (23), Dan Majerle (21), Tom Chambers (20) Nuggets: Woolridge (40), Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (26), Walter Davis (22)
Highest-scoring playoff games +Highest-scoring playoff gamesRank Totalpoints Date Location Winner Result OT Loser Notes Ref.1, 1992Arizona Veterans Memorial ColiseumPhoenix, ArizonaPortland Trail Blazers*153–1512Phoenix SunsNBA highest-scoring playoff game record Suns' Kevin Johnson scored a game-high 35 points Leading scorers Trail Blazers: Clyde Drexler (33), Terry Porter (31), Danny Ainge (25), Jerome Kersey (21) Suns: Johnson (35), Tom Chambers (29), Jeff Hornacek (23), Dan Majerle (21) Game 4 of the conference semifinals, Trail Blazers won the series 4–1 Last NBA game at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum2, 2021Ball ArenaDenver, ColoradoDenver Nuggets147–1402Portland Trail BlazersNBA playoff record Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard set single-game playoff record with 12 three-pointers. Lillard scored a game-high 55 points, setting a franchise single-game playoff record. Leading scorers Nuggets:Nikola Jokić (38), Monté Morris (28), Michael Porter Jr. (26) Trail Blazers: Lillard (55) Game 5 of the first round, Nuggets won the series 4–2.3, 1983HemisFair ArenaSan Antonio, TexasSan Antonio Spurs152–133—Denver NuggetsFormer highest-scoring playoffs record; tied record for highest-scoring playoff game to not go into overtime Spurs' George Gervin scored a game-high 42 points Leading scorers Spurs: Gervin (42), Johnny Moore (24), Gene Banks (22), Mike Mitchell (22) Nuggets: Dan Issel (28), Alex English (26), Kiki Vandeweghe (22) Game 1 of the conference semifinals, Spurs won the series 4–1, 1990Boston GardenBoston, MassachusettsBoston Celtics157–128—New York KnicksTied record for highest-scoring playoff game to not go into overtime Most points scored by one team in a playoff game (157) Celtics' Kevin McHale scored a game-high 31 points Leading scorers Celtics: McHale (31), Reggie Lewis (21) Knicks: Patrick Ewing (28), Gerald Wilkins (24), Johnny Newman (21) Game 2 of the first round, Knicks won the series 3–25, 1987Reunion ArenaDallas, TexasDallas Mavericks151–129—Seattle SuperSonicsSuperSonics' Tom Chambers scored a game-high 35 points Leading scorers Mavericks: Mark Aguirre (28), Roy Tarpley (25) SuperSonics: Chambers (35), Dale Ellis (22) Game 1 of the first round, SuperSonics won the series 3–16, 1967Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum ArenaOakland, CaliforniaSan Francisco Warriors143–136—St. Louis HawksFormer highest-scoring record Warriors' Rick Barry scored a game-high 47 points Leading scorers Warriors: Barry (47), Jeff Mullins (26), Nate Thurmond (22)