Thirteen players from the Los Angeles Lakers’ illustrious past have been honored with inductions into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. A large number of the greatest players in history have worn purple and gold.
Who owns the franchise single-game scoring record for the Lakers, given the number of legends who have worn Lakers uniforms over the years? Let’s take a look back at the top ten scoring efforts in Lakers history.
81 – Kobe Bryant, January 22, 2006, Lakers vs. Raptors
Although Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 100 points scored has never been truly threatened, Kobe Bryant got the closest in 2006. The Lakers had a difficult game the entire time, falling behind by 18 points in the third. But because to Bryant’s huge second-half performance, they overcame the Toronto Raptors to win 122-104.
Bryant was the only player who could get the Lakers back into the game in the second half, scoring 55 of his 81 points in that period. With shots of 28 of 46 (60.9%) from the field, 7 of 13 (53.8%) from 3-point range, and 18 of 20 (90%) from the charity stripe, his efficiency was phenomenal. With a league-high 35.4 points per game on average, this was Bryant’s highest scoring season to date.
71 – Knicks vs. Lakers, Nov. 15, 1960; Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor was the dominant force that broke records in the NBA before Chamberlain took the league by storm. No NBA player had ever scored 70 points in a single game before. In addition to scoring a career-high 71 points, Baylor also pulled down 25 rebounds in the 123-108 victory over the New.
Elgin Baylor was the dominant force that broke records before Chamberlain took the NBA by storm. Before that, no player in NBA history had ever scored 70 points in a single game. Not only did Baylor set a record with his 71 points, but he also pulled down 25 rebounds in the 123-108 victory over the New York Knicks, making it one of the best individual performances in NBA history. That season, Baylor averaged about 34 points and 19 rebounds per game. Ten days later, Baylor went on a 52-point outburst. Finally, he finished November with an average of almost 39 points and over 20 rebounds.
66 – Wilt Chamberlain, Suns vs. Lakers, February 2, 1969
In his debut season with the Lakers, Chamberlain led the team to a 134-116 victory over the Phoenix Suns with 66 points and 27 rebounds. In this game, Chamberlain shot an outstanding 29 of 35 (82.9%) from the field.
Chamberlain played the entire 48 minutes in the Lakers’ triumph, setting the bar high. Although Chamberlain was accustomed to scoring absurdly high points, his 1968–69 campaign saw him average just 20.5 points per game.
Leave a Reply