Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo Scores 83, Surpasses Kobe as NBA's Second Highest Single-Game Scorer

Bam Adebayo produced one of the most historic individual performances in NBA history on March 11, 2026, scoring 83 points in the Miami Heat’s 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards to post the second-highest single-game total in league history, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81 and trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100.

“02:02 03:04 01:45 01:18 05:19 13:46 06:35 02:31 02:09 02:22 Jérémy Laugier Published on March 11, 2026 at 8:18 AM • Updated March 11, 2026 at 11:39 AM Bam Adebayo is certainly a solid NBA player, a three-time All-Star and a two-time Olympic champion with Team USA”

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This outburst is described across coverage as an extraordinary and record-setting night that immediately joined the NBA’s all-time scoring landmarks.

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The game’s final box score—83 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks—was widely reported and celebrated as a landmark achievement for the Heat star.

Adebayo’s night rewrote multiple statistical records, most notably the NBA single-game marks for free throws made and attempted: he went 36-for-43 from the line, breaking the previous made record of 28 and the previous attempts record of 39.

Coverage emphasized both the sheer volume of trips to the line and the new league records, as outlets noted Adebayo’s unprecedented 36 made free throws and 43 attempts along with other unusual statistical feats that accompanied the scoring barrage.

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These game-long numbers were cited as central to how the 83 points were built.

The scoring surge unfolded almost from the opening tip: Adebayo exploded for 31 points in the first quarter and had 43 by halftime, then reached 62 before the start of the fourth—numbers that multiple outlets used to describe the game’s rhythm.

“Bam Adebayo scored 83 points - the second highest number in an NBA game - as the Miami Heat beat the Washington Wizards 150-129”

BBC

Reports also highlighted Washington’s inability to slow him down and noted criticisms aimed at the Wizards’ defensive resistance and the extraordinary number of fouls that frequently sent Adebayo to the line.

Observers described the sequence as an early and sustained onslaught that left the opposition searching for answers.

Analysts and writers placed Adebayo’s feat in historical context, comparing its composition to Kobe Bryant’s 81 and Wilt Chamberlain’s 100.

Coverage stressed differences in how the points were accumulated—Adebayo’s game leaned heavily on free throws and long-range attempts (20-of-43 from the field, 7-of-22 from three), while commentators noted Bryant’s 81 featured a higher shooting percentage and fewer free-throw trips—underscoring that the two landmark nights were statistically distinct even as Adebayo moved past Kobe in the record books.

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Outlets also flagged that Adebayo became the first player that season to top 60 points in a game.

Reactions ranged from awe to debate over the game’s competitive shape: many outlets and commentators marveled at the improbability of a player better known for defense and playmaking delivering such an offensive explosion, while others questioned the situation that produced so many free throws and the Heat’s decision to keep Adebayo on the floor late in a decided game.

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Adebayo himself celebrated the night, thanking family, teammates and coach, and calling it the biggest moment of his career—comments that were echoed across multiple reports as the performance immediately became a defining moment for his legacy.

Diario de Sevilla