By Dionysis Aravantinos/ info@eurohoops.net
The game is evolving, the tempo is becoming faster, the players are shooting deep three-point shots, they go easier to the free-throw line and so eventually more points are being scored than they were in the “golden age” of the 1990s and the Michael Jordan era.
During the 2016-2017 NBA season, the NBA had thirteen (13) fifty point performances and ten of them were registered by different players, which has never been done before in the history of the NBA.
Eurohoops, presents you those players who scored 50+ points the 2016-2017 season, a historical record and after LeBron’s big night it remains to be seen if it can be broken this season.
Devin Booker – 70 points
On March 24, 2017, Booker made history by becoming the youngest NBA player to score 60+ points and he did it by scoring 70 (!) against the Boston Celtics. The Suns lost this game to the Celtics on the road 130-120 but Booker was on a mission to prove that he is a rare talent in the NBA. Booker went to the free-throw line 24 times (!) and made 22, which shows how important the free-throw line is in today’s game. He also shot 21-40 from the field and had 4-11 three-pointers. He finished the game with 70 points which were an NBA season high and he also dished 6 assists.
Klay Thompson – 60 points
Klay Thompson’s 60 point-game was achieved by simply showcasing his shooting skills on the offensive side of the court. His pure shooting and the way he uses his body to open himself up is something special about him. In only 29:03 minutes (!), Klay had 60 points on 21-33 shooting, while also knocking down 8-12 three-pointers. It is something incredible that shows how the NBA is evolving and how the game is changing. The Warriors cruised over the Pacers 142-106 on December 5th, 2016.
Damian Lillard – 59 points
Damian Lillard is a pure scorer. The Blazer point-guard is also really effective down the stretch! On April 8th, 2017, Lillard scored 59 points in a 101—86 victory against the Jazz. He had 9-4 three-pointers and 14-16 free-throws. What is special about his numbers is that he scored almost the two-thirds of the Blazers points.
Russell Westbrook – 58 points. (57,51,50)
Westbrook was on a mission last season; he wanted to prove to everyone that he can lead a team to greatness almost by himself. He averaged a triple-double, won the MVP award and also was the scoring leader for the 2016-2017 NBA season. His 58 points came against the Blazers in a 126-121 loss. In the game, Westbrook had 59 points and 9 assists but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Blazers’ obstacle. He also had three other 50+ point games, as he also posted a 50-point triple-double, and ended the Nuggets’ playoff chances with a buzzer-beating deep three-pointer.