A Look Back At All 50 Point Opening Night Games

On Friday, October 23, 2025, Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon joined a very exclusive group, becoming only the sixth player in NBA history to score 50 or more points in a regular-season opener. While it unfortunately came with a 137-131 overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors, Gordon’s career-high 50-point effort came off an absurdly efficient 17-for-21 shooting, including 10-for-11 from three-point territory.

While Gordon is a talented player in his own right, the list of those who have previously accomplished this feat includes those who are either in the Hall of Fame or are likely headed there when their careers are over.

Elgin Baylor was the first of six players to reach the mark when the second-year forward for the Minneapolis Lakers dropped 52 points on the Detroit Pistons on October 18, 1959. Shooting 22-for-36, which, mind you, were all two-pointers, Baylor also added 21 rebounds in a 106-105 loss.

Wilt Chamberlain broke Baylor’s record three years later on October 23, 1962, when he posted a ridiculous 56 points, 29 rebounds, and four assists as a member of the San Francisco Warriors. Ironically, this feat would also come against the Pistons, but would have a more pleasant result as the Warriors walked away with a 140-113 victory.

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan would be the next player to hit the benchmark, doing it twice in the span of three years. His first 50-point opener came on November 1, 1986, when he torched the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Nearly three years to the date, Jordan repeated the feat. Hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 3, 1989, Jordan dropped 54 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 19-for-31 from the field and making 15-for-17 free throws.

In a one-man show against the Denver Nuggets on October 26, 2016, then-New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis posted a stunning 50 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, five steals, and four blocks stat line. As only one of three Pelicans to hit double figures in scoring, the effort from the Pelicans’ star wasn’t enough to hold off a 107-102 loss.

Kyrie Irving’s 50-point opener came in his first game with the Brooklyn Nets on October 23, 2019, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, setting an NBA record for the most points scored in a debut with a new team. Irving’s 50, plus eight rebounds and seven assists, wasn’t enough to lift the Nets past the Timberwolves, falling 127-126 in overtime.

This exclusive club of six represents some of the greatest individual offensive performances in NBA history. Whether in victory or defeat, reaching the 50-point mark on opening night remains one of the NBA’s most impressive accomplishments.