Bam Adebayo scores 83 points, second-highest total in NBA history
Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo delivered a historic performance with 83 points against the Washington Wizards, surpassing Kobe Bryant for the second-highest scoring game in NBA history.
By Aurax Desk | March 11, 2026
Bam Adebayo celebrating after scoring during the game against the Wizards.
Bam Adebayo produced one of the greatest scoring performances in basketball history, exploding for 83 points to lead the Miami Heat to a 150-129 victory over the Washington Wizards.
The remarkable performance is now the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, trailing only the legendary 100-point outing by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.
Adebayo’s 83 points also surpassed the famous 81-point game by Kobe Bryant in 2006, which had stood for nearly two decades as the second-highest total.
Bam Adebayo in action during his historic 83 point game
Passing Kobe Bryant
With his 83-point night, Adebayo moved past Bryant’s iconic scoring performance for the second-highest total ever recorded in the NBA.
Bryant’s 81-point game for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Toronto Raptors in 2006 had long been the benchmark for modern-era scoring performances.
Now Adebayo joins an exclusive club that includes only Bryant and Chamberlain among the highest single-game scorers in league history.
File photo of Kobe Bryant during his historic 81-point performance.
Historic night in Miami
The Heat star dominated from the opening tip, scoring 31 points in the first quarter, 43 by halftime and 62 by the end of the third quarter before finishing with 83.
His final stat line included:
83 points
9 rebounds
3 assists
2 steals
2 blocks
Adebayo shot 20-for-43 from the field, hit 7 three-pointers, and made 36 of 43 free throws, setting league records for both free throws made and attempted in a single game.
Wilt Chamberlain after scoring 100 points
A surprise scoring explosion
The achievement was particularly shocking because Adebayo is traditionally known as a defensive anchor and all-around big man, not primarily as a high-volume scorer.
Before the game, his career high was just 41 points, making the 83-point explosion one of the most unexpected offensive outbursts in NBA history.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra described the moment as “absolutely surreal,” as teammates and fans celebrated the historic performance inside Miami’s home arena.
Reaction across the NBA
The performance quickly drew reactions from across the basketball world, with several NBA stars praising Adebayo’s historic night.
The game also extended Miami’s strong run of form, helping the team secure another win as they push for a higher position in the Eastern Conference standings.
For Adebayo, the night instantly etched his name alongside the greatest single-game scorers the league has ever seen.
Sourcres: ESPN, NBA.com, CBS News, CBS News, Reuters, AP News, Yahoo Sports and Al Jazeera
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