We all love to bear witness to an NBA player drop 50 on an opponent in live game action. Since the NBA this Summer has come to a halt thanks to the Lockout, all that we have is some dingy video footage of James Harden, Nick Young, and Kevin Durant topping the 50 point mark in Summer League action.
While seeing players drop 50 against virtually zero defense this Summer can technically qualify as entertaining, let’s focus more on the actual NBA.
Of course Wilt Chamberlain was, and still is the all-time leader in 50 point games with more than 100 on his resume, but Michael Jordan ranks second with 39, including an NBA record 8 games over the century mark during the playoffs.
Tops on that list has to be his 63 point outburst in a losing effort to eventual NBA Champion Boston Celtics in the ’86 post-season. Amazingly, Jordan scored 40 points after halftime, without even attempting a 3 point shot. His 63 point gem still stands as the highest scoring playoff game in NBA history.
And who could forget his consecutive 50 point blasts (55 and 50) during the ‘88 Playoffs, albeit against the Cavaliers, where he became the first player to notch back-to-back 50 point games in post-season history.
Statistically, Jordan’s individual high scoring game came on March 28th of 1990 when he torched, you guessed it….the Cleveland Cavaliers, for a career high 69 points. In the game, MJ also pulled down 18 boards, dished out 6 assists, and grabbed 4 steals, providing one of the greatest all-around games in league history. He also outscored the rest of his teammates 69-48 as Horace Grant was the only other Bulls player in double figures with 16 points.
But why listen to me recount some of Jordan’s greatest moments of when he scored 50, since you now can watch all of them in one awesome video? For any Jordan fan, the nearly 2 and a half hour video is incredible as it features MJ’s comeback 55 point performance in NY and even one of his final 50 point games with the Wizards in ‘02. Watch and enjoy.
Check out All of MJ’s 50 point games on 1 video:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
