How does Bam Adebayo’s monster 83-point night compare to Kobe’s 81-point game?

Bam Adebayo found himself in historic territory after he managed a whopping 83 points in the Miami Heat’s 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards, marking the second-highest points total in a single game in the history of the NBA. The performance, for obvious reasons, has immediately drawn comparisons to Kobe Bryant’s iconic 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors back in 2006, which is now the third-highest points total in a single game.

Adebayo managed to more than double his previous career-high of 41 points in what was the first game attended by his long-term partner and WNBA icon A’ja Wilson. He exploded for 31 points in the first quarter and by halftime had already accumulated 43 points.

Unlike Bryant’s 81-point performance, which required a massive second-half takeover, Adebayo dominated from start to finish. Over 42 minutes, the Miami center finished 20-of-43 from the field, knocked down 7-of-22 from three-point range, and went an astounding 36-of-43 from the free-throw line, setting NBA single-game records for both free throws made and attempted.

Those 36 makes broke the previous record of 28 shared by Wilt Chamberlain and Adrian Dantley, while his 43 attempts eclipsed the previous mark of 39 set by Dwight Howard. The statistical composition of Adebayo’s 83-point game also differed dramatically from Bryant’s historic performance.

Bryant’s 81 came on 28-of-46 shooting (60.9%), seven three-pointers, and 18-of-20 free throws in 42 minutes, per NBA.com. Kobe famously erupted for 55 points in the second half, nearly single-handedly erasing an 18-point Lakers deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 122–104.

In contrast, Adebayo’s performance leaned heavily on interior scoring and regular trips to the free-throw line. Further, Bryant’s 81-point night was a comeback performance that transformed a losing effort into a victory.

Kobe Bryant’s performance came in a comeback victory

The Raptors led 63–49 at halftime, leading to a second-half avalanche by the Lakers legend. Adebayo’s night, meanwhile, occurred in a contest that Miami largely controlled right from the start.

The Heat built a 40–29 lead after the first quarter and eventually pulled away behind Adebayo’s scoring barrage, helping them secure their sixth consecutive win while improving to 22–11 at home. Adebayo’s 83-point explosion represents just the 16th time a player has scored 70 or more points in league history.

Regardless, the manner in which Adebayo’s points came was starkly different from how Bryant conducted his business on the fateful night. While he relied on elite shot-making and volume shooting, Adebayo was regularly fouled and made the most of his free throw attempts.

At the same time, Adebayo’s historic night will undoubtedly go down as one of the most memorable scoring performances in the NBA, and may as well be compared to Kobe’s 81-point game for the longest of time.

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