2020-21 NBA Season: 6 NBA players with 50+ points in a game so far
The 2020-21 NBA season has shown us, in its own particular way, extraordinary performances from the best players in the league. Scoring will always be the most attractive aspect of the game for most NBA fans, and some players have certainly filled the state sheet in terms of points in the current campaign.
Many would remember Stephen Curry's 62 points in early January, but which other players have scored 50 or more points in a single game so far?
6 NBA players with 50-point games in the 2020-21 NBA season
Despite the struggles with the Covid-19 pandemic and seeing many important players miss a good amount of games due to the NBA's health and safety protocols, fans have been able to witness the greatest players in the world perform at the highest level.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Bradley Beal, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and others have had impressive outings in the first couple of months of the season. In this report, we will take a look at the six NBA players who have put up 50 or more points in a single game so far.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#6 Joel Embiid
The Philadelphia 76ers currently have the best record in the NBA's Eastern Conference and Joel Embiid has certainly been the driving force of Doc Rivers' team. The Cameroonian center has performed at the highest level of his career on offense as well as on the defensive end.
Throughout the 26 games he has played in the 2020-21 NBA campaign, Embiid is averaging 29.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per night. Moreover, Embiid has one of the seven 50-point games by a player in a game so far.
On February 19th, 2021, Embiid put up a career-high 50 points and 17 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls in a 112-105 for the 76ers. He made 17 of his 26 shots and 15 of his 17 free throws.
#5 Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray is performing at a tremendous level in the 2020-21 NBA season, and he has followed his impressive level in the 2020 NBA Playoffs with a solid campaign for the Denver Nuggets.
Murray is averaging career highs in points per game (21), field-goal percentage (47%), 3P percentage (39%) and rebounds per game (4.4). Moreover, back on February 19th, 2021, Murray scored a career-high in the regular season with 50 points and eight three pointers.
He was mighty efficient that night, as he made 21 of his 25 shots, eight of his 10 triples, and particularly, became the first player to score 50 points without a single free-throw attempt.
#4 Nikola Jokic
The 2020-21 Denver Nuggets are the only team with more than one player who scored 50 points in a game this season. Apart from Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic also reached that mark as he continues to perform at an NBA MVP level for Michael Malone's team.
Jokic scored a career-high 50 points and dished out 12 assists in a loss for the Nuggets at the hands of the Sacramento Kings on February 6th, 2021. Jokic made 20 of his 33 field goals that night and also grabbed eight rebounds.
Overall, Jokic is averaging 27 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and has an impressive 56/41/88 shooting split.
#3 Fred VanVleet
The 2020-21 Toronto Raptors have been an inconsistent team in the current NBA season, but Fred VanVleet definitely provided Raptors' fans with a huge night to celebrate back on February 2nd, 2021.
VanVleet, arguably the best undrafted player in today's NBA, scored a career-high (and franchise record) 54 points against the Orlando Magic. Moreover, he made a career-high 11 three-pointers and made 17 of his 23 field goals.
#2 Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal is the premier scorer in today's NBA in terms of averages. Beal has been nuclear for the Washington Wizards, despite the team's struggles.
Beal averaged 30 points per game last season for the first time in his career, but he found a higher gear for the 2020-21 NBA season, as he is putting up 32.7 points per night, the highest of the league.
On January 6th, Beal scored a career-high 60 points against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was Beals's first 60-point game of his career and the second-highest scoring game by a player in the 2020-21 NBA season. Unfortunately for him, the Wizards fell to the Sixers that night.
#1 Stephen Curry
Though he received heavy criticism at the start of the 2020-21 NBA season due to his own shooting level and the Golden State Warriors' struggles, Stephen Curry is having a stellar season so far.
In the first five games of the season, Curry averaged 26 points and seven assists per game. However, his shooting was not great, as he had made 42% of his shots, and 32% of his threes. However, on January 3rd, just two nights after the Dubs were blown out by the Portland Trail Blazers, Curry put up a career-high 62 points against Damian Lillard and company.
It was Curry's first 60-point game of his career and he made 18/31 field goals, eight of 16 threes, and 18 of his 19 free throws in the Warriors' win.
As his shooting form returned, Curry became a quiet MVP candidate and guided the Warriors to impressive wins. On February 6th, 2021, Curry exploded for 57 points against the Dallas Mavericks, but he could not lead the Warriors to a win over Luka Doncic's team.
So far, Curry has two of the three biggest games in terms of scoring in the current season and is averaging 30 points per game with 48/43/94 shooting splits.
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