For two decades, Kobe Bryant’s 81-point showdown against the Toronto Raptors seemed untouchable, just like Wilt Chamberlain’s elusive 100-point mark. But records are meant to be broken. With scoring coming in high volumes in the league right now, everyone had anticipated at least one of the current stars to come close to the record.
Now, if we told you Bryant’s record was broken, the first set of players coming to your mind would be the star crop of this generation, such as Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, and many more. What surprised many was that the person breaking Kobe’s record was none other than the Miami Heat’s big man, Bam Adebayo.
Adebayo went ballistic against the Washington Wizards, scoring 83 points and 9 rebounds from 20/43 FG and 36/43 FT. What’s more astounding is how Adebayo continued with his scoring heater despite getting double, triple and even quadruple-teamed by the Wizards’ defense. The Miami Heat won by a 21-point margin of 150-129 to seal their win for the night.
Adebayo’s alma mater, the University of Kentucky, couldn’t have been more proud of its alumnus’ achievement. In a post mentioning Adebayo’s stat line on X, Kentucky MBB’s official handle wrote,
“WHAT A NIGHT FOR BAM 😳”
Everyone around Bam Adebayo was elated with this feat, with appreciations and words pouring in. When Scott Van Pelt asked Bam what he thought Kobe would have said after his feat, Bam replied, “He would probably tell me ‘Do it Again.'”
How Does Kobe Bryant’s 81 Points Compare to Bam Adebayo’s 83 Points?
Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game came against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006. The Lakers were trailing 63-49 at half-time but Bryant came in clutch in due time. The Black Mamba played 42 minutes in the game, shooting 28/46 from the field and 7/13 from deep. He scored 55 points in the second-half, helping the Lakers clinch the game 122-104 in a huge blowout upset.
Bam Adebayo’s 83 points are a different story, given that both Bryant and Adebayo played different positions. Adebayo thrives attacking the rim and finishing inside the paint. Though a defensive anchor, Adebayo led drives that led to the entirety of the Wizards team single-handedly defending him.
As a result, he drew 43 FT attempts, sinking 36 of them. He broke the Heat’s franchise record for points scored in a quarter (31), in a half (41), and in a game (61). He also broke the league record for free throws made and free throws attempted in a game and scored the second-most points in a game, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain.
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