For the second time in less than a week, two separate players made a run at scoring history in the NBA. On Monday, Joel Embiid reached 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs while Karl-Anthony Towns got to 62 against the Charlotte Hornets. But on Friday, two other superstars managed to top them.
Devin Booker put up 62 points in a loss to the Indiana Pacers… and wasn’t even the leading scorer of the night. Luka Doncic topped him and everyone else this season with a 73-point masterpiece in a 148-143 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The total now ties David Thompson for the fourth-most in league history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain (100), Kobe Bryant (81), and Chamberlain again (78). Chamberlain had two other 73-point games.
We have now seen four players in total reach 70 in the past two seasons: Doncic, Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, and Damian Lillard. Early in the fourth quarter, it seemed as though Doncic might make a real run at Bryant’s 81. He had 65 with 10:23 remaining on the clock, but the Hawks did everything in their power to slow him down from there. Doncic shrugged, didn’t force anything, and finished the game with seven assists. His teammates carried much of the fourth-quarter load, but Doncic was still able to make history with 73.
So what can we take away from these offensive explosions? Here are three thoughts:
- The opposing defense matters… but so does the offense
This might seem obvious, but you’re not putting up 60-plus points against a great defense. Look at who this week’s best performances came against. Towns got 62 against the 30th-ranked defense (Charlotte). Booker got his 62 against No. 27 (Indiana). Doncic put up 73 against No. 26 (Atlanta). Embiid got to 70 against No. 25 (San Antonio). Here’s the twist though… most of those other teams can at least score. The Pacers have the best offense in the NBA (though they were without conductor Tyrese Haliburton Friday). The Hawks are an above-average offense. Charlotte and San Antonio are ranked near the bottom of the league, but they have ascending young stars that can put points on the.
