In NBA history, records are made to be broken, and that’s exactly what Bam Adebayo did on the night of March 11, 2026. 83 points to enter the history books. 83 points to claim second place for the most points ever scored in a single game, surpassing Kobe Bean Bryant and his legendary 81-point performance during the Lakers’ matchup against Jalen Rose’s Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006.
Bam Adebayo, monstrous in a crucial game
Of course, the Washington Wizards are no longer playing for anything except tanking — the strategy of intentionally losing to maximize the chances of landing one of the best talents in the Draft. But that is not the case for the Miami Heat, who are fighting to hold onto their 6th spot with hopes of securing a place in the 2026 Playoffs campaign. The season looked destined to be extremely difficult following superstar Jimmy Butler’s departure to San Francisco, yet his former team managed to keep its head above water, posting a positive record of 37 wins and 29 losses as of March 11.
It was in this context, with that end-of-season objective in mind, that Adebayo stepped onto the court that night. Riding a five-game winning streak, Miami’s cornerstone opened the game by pouring in 35 points in the first quarter alone, immediately setting the tone in front of a hysterical home crowd. It was going to be a long night for the Wizards.
83 points vs Kobe Bryant’s 81 points
If we compare the two performances, it still feels clear that the Black Mamba’s showing was purer. More shots attempted and more shots made. But above all, far fewer free throws.
Stat Kobe Bryant (Jan. 22, 2006) Bam Adebayo (March 10, 2026) Points 81 83 FGM 28 20 FGA 46 43 FG% 60.9 46.5 3PM 7 7 3PA 13 22 3P% 53.8 31.8 FTM 18 36 FTA 20 43 FT% 90 83.7 Rebounds 6 9 Assists 2 3 Steals 3 2 Blocks 1 2 Turnovers 3 5 +/- +25 +20
Still, this tendency to live at the free-throw line after the referee’s whistle is nothing new. It already existed during the era of Air Jordan, a true master in that department. Looking closely at both performances, we notice that A’ja Wilson’s partner earned more than double Kobe’s free throws (43 compared to 20), and had he converted the seven he missed, he could have pushed his record to 90 points. Still, 83.7% efficiency from the line remains an outstanding performance. The difference in the number of fouls drawn clearly comes from their positioning on the floor. Bam is sometimes viewed as a small center rather than a power forward, whereas Kobe, despite his size, operated primarily like a shooting guard.
The other major difference lies behind the three-point line. While both players knocked down seven threes in their respective performances, Bryant attempted only 13 compared to Bam’s 22, finishing with an ultra-clean 53% against 31%. Mamba was known for shooting relentlessly, but nobody could ever criticize that January 2006 masterpiece, a performance delivered with near-surgical efficiency.
We say near-surgical because this season, Aaron Gordon exploded for an incredible 50 points on October 23, 2025 while shooting 17/21 FG (81.0%), 10/11 3PT (90.9%), and 6/6 FT (100%). And that kind of efficiency cannot be ignored — it was almost completely flawless basketball.
A season of records
The 2025–2026 campaign is in full swing and continues to shatter numerous historic records. Between Gordon’s performance, LeBron James surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals made all-time, and Wembanyama becoming only the third player in history to record at least one block per game over 100 straight games, the face of the league is evolving. The past served as a blueprint, and the new generation is using it to shine in its own way.
Congratulations to Bam Adebayo. This is historic!
