Bam Adebayo made history on Tuesday when the Miami Heat took on the Washington Wizards. Adebayo initially exploded for 43 points in the first half, setting the second-highest scoring performance in a half in the 2020s.
However, Adebayo did the unthinkable and broke Kobe Bryant’s record, setting a new record in the modern era of the NBA.
Bam Adebayo is Second All Time in Most Points Scored in a Single NBA Game
When you think about who scored the most points in a single NBA game, fans would automatically think of Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points in 1962. It’s a feat that nobody expects another player to beat anytime soon.
However, Bryant came closest to breaking the record in 2006, when he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. At the time, Bryant held the record for the most points scored in a single NBA game during the new millennium.
Fast forward to the present day, Heat star Adebayo shattered Bryant’s record after scoring a jaw-dropping 83 points against the Wizards on Tuesday.
BAM BREAKS KOBE’S 81-POINT RECORD AND SCORES 83!
THE SECOND-MOST IN NBA HISTORY AFTER WILT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/XnOrMCat56
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 11, 2026
Honestly, no one expected to witness Adebayo break the record. The Heat star isn’t necessarily known to be a prolific scorer. This season, Adebayo is only averaging 18.9 points per game. His career high in points prior to Tuesday’s game was 41 points.
Having all that in mind, Adebayo now holds the modern record for most points scored in an NBA game. Looking at the 2020s, the record was previously held by Luka Dončić, who scored 73 points in 2024 when he was still playing for the Dallas Mavericks.
Prior to Dončić’s 73 points, Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell both held the record in the modern era, each scoring 71 points in 2023. Mitchell was the first to set the modern record in January 2023, followed by Lillard in February 2023.
Adebayo’s monstrous 83-point outing led the Heat to a dominant 150-129 victory over the Wizards. Miami is now on a six-game winning streak and is on the verge of overtaking the Toronto Raptors (36-28) in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
The Heat currently sits in sixth place with a 37-29 record. Given the circumstances, Miami now has all the momentum heading into its next game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
While we’re not expecting Adebayo to put up crazy numbers again, there’s no questioning that he and the Heat will be entering Thursday’s game with a lot of confidence.
