A 30-bomb has always been special in the NBA. Players embark on the road to stardom with their first 30-point game, while superstars remind the league of their status among the greats.
Kevin Durant did the same as he dropped 32 points in a 115-105 loss to the Miami Heat on Saturday. The Rockets’ superstar surpassed late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant on the all-time list of most 30-point games.
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He sent Bryant in sixth place and claimed the fifth spot in a list featuring some of the biggest names in league history. Here is the new list featuring the top five players with the most 30-point games.
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5 players with the most 30-point games in NBA history
5. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant has established himself as one of the best scorers the league has ever seen. He is in his 18th season and is still going strong. KD is the Rockets’ leading scorer this season, averaging 26.2 points per game on 51.0% shooting.
Durant has scored more than 30 points in 432 games in his entire career. He is still playing and can move higher up on the list in the future.
4. Karl Malone
Karl Malone is one of the more controversial names in NBA history. The Utah Jazz icon tarnished his legacy with his off-court scandals. However, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Malone was a force on the NBA hardwood.
He ranks fourth on the most 30-point games by a player in the list with 435 games. He has won two MVP awards and 14 All-Star inclusions in his career.
3. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain is up there in the GOAT conversation alongside LeBron James and Michael Jordan. He has put up more than 30-points on the scoreboard in 516 games throughout his career.
Chamberlain showed the league how dominant the center position can be in basketball. He forced the league to change many rules because of his dominance in the paint. He has won two NBA championships, four MVP awards and 13 All-Star inclusions in his career.
2. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan’s name doesn’t need any introduction. His airness is arguably the biggest superstar that the NBA produced. Jordan’s popularity extended way beyond the United States and popularized basketball in other continents.
He has netted in 30 points or more in 562 games in his career. Jordan has commanded arguably the greatest dynasty the NBA has seen. He won six championships in his career with two three-peats and is widely considered the greatest basketball player ever.
1. LeBron James
Where there is Michael Jordan, there is LeBron James. These two names have become synonymous over the past decade. James entered the league as a player bound for stardom with immense potential. But no one would have imagined that James would go on to become the only player to challenge Jordan for the GOAT title.
The Lakers superstar has scored more than 30 points in 575 games. He is the league’s all-time leading scorer with 43,066 points and counting. James is in his 23rd season and is still keeping up with players who were not even born when he went pro. He is averaging 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game on 49.8% shooting.
Edited by Avi Shravan
