UNITED States of America basketball star with Nigerian heritage Bam Adebayo produced the second-highest single-game scoring total in NBA history, putting up 83 points as the host Miami Heat beat the Washington Wizards 150-129 in the early hours of today.
The 28-year-old centre scored 31 points in the first quarter en route to passing Kobe Bryant (81 points in 2006) for second place on the single-game list.
Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point outing has stood as the record since 1962.
In 42 minutes, Adebayo shot 20-for-43 from the floor, 7-for-22 from 3-point range and 36-for-43 at the free-throw line. He also grabbed nine rebounds.
Adebayo set NBA single-game records for most free throws made and most free-throw attempts. Chamberlain and Adrian Dantley were the prior record-holders for made foul shots with 28 each.
Dwight Howard had the old mark for free-throw attempts of 39, which he reached twice.
Washington has lost nine straight games, five short of its longest skid of the season.
Alex Sarr led the Wizards with 28 points.
Luka Doncic posted 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as Los Angeles earned a 120-106 victory over visiting Minnesota in a battle of playoff-hopeful Western Conference teams.
Austin Reaves scored 31 points and Deandre Ayton added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who pulled level with the Timberwolves, both with 40-25 records.
Los Angeles holds the tiebreaker for fourth place in the West thanks to sweeping the three-game season series.
Anthony Edwards scored 14 points for the Timberwolves while shooting 2 of 15 from the floor and 1 of 10 from 3-point range.
Julius Randle also had 14 while Naz Reid and Ayo Dosunmu each added 13 as Minnesota lost its second consecutive game following a five-game winning streak.
Jalen Duren scored 26 points in three quarters and Cade Cunningham collected 21 and 15 assists as Detroit seized control early, stopping a season-worst four-game skid with a wire-to-wire 138-100 rout of Brooklyn in New York.
Duren converted three dunks and shot 9 of 10 from the field as the Pistons played a flawless game and earned their sixth win in the teams’ past eight meetings.
Cunningham, who sat out Saturday’s loss, made eight of 10 shots and finished with 15 assists, three shy of his career high.
The Nets were unable to win three straight for the second time this season and lost for the 11th time in 13 games. Brooklyn shot 42% and made 13 of 38 3-point attempts. Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 19 points but Brooklyn’s other four starters — Noah Clowney, Nic Claxton and rookies Drake Powell and Nolan Traore — were a combined 6 of 21 from the field.
Devin Carter scored 22 of his career-high 24 points in the fourth quarter as Sacramento beat Indiana 114-109, sending the visiting Pacers to their 10th straight loss.
Sacramento rallied from a 20-point third-quarter deficit behind Carter, who made three 3-pointers and scored 15 points during a 17-5 run that put the Kings ahead 109-103 with 1:46 remaining.
Maxime Raynaud had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings, while Russell Westbrook tallied 16 points and nine assists. DeMar DeRozan and Clifford scored 12 points apiece, and Daeqwon Plowden added 10.
Aaron Nesmith led Indiana with 29 points. Obi Toppin added 17 points, Kam Jones scored 14, Jay Huff had 12, and Micah Potter finished with 11 in the matchup between the two teams with the worst records in the NBA.
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 29 points, while Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 23 points apiece as Houston pulled away in the fourth quarter of a 113-99 victory over visiting Toronto.
Durant made 12 of 16 shots from the field, including four 3-pointers, to pace the balanced offensive attack. Smith shot 8 of 14 from the field and sank three 3-pointers, and Thompson added 10 free throws and a team-high six assists.
RJ Barrett paced the Raptors with 25 points and six rebounds, while Scottie Barnes added 24 points. Toronto shaved a 10-point deficit to 73-72 late in the third before the Rockets pulled away.
Reuters
