The Highest Points Scored Against the Golden State Warriors in NBA History

Throughout the Warriors' storied history, spanning multiple eras and cities, the franchise has witnessed some of basketball's most explosive offensive performances. From Philadelphia to San Francisco to Oakland and back to San Francisco, the Warriors have been on the receiving end of legendary scoring outbursts that have defined generations of basketball excellence.

1. Elgin Baylor - 63 Points 

On December 8, 1961, Los Angeles Lakers forward Elgin Baylor put on one of the greatest individual performances in NBA history against the Philadelphia Warriors. Baylor erupted for 63 points, shooting an efficient field goal percentage while dominating from all areas of the court, adding 31 rebounds and 7 assists. The Lakers emerged victorious in the triple overtime high-scoring affair, 151-147.

Playing against his future teammate, Wilt Chamberlain's Warriors, Baylor showcased the complete offensive arsenal that would define his Hall of Fame career. The game featured two of the league's most dominant forces, with Chamberlain putting on a one-man show himself, dropping 78 points and 43 rebounds in the loss. 

2. Wilt Chamberlain - 62 Points

Speaking of Chamberlain, who spent five-plus seasons playing for the Warriors franchise, he also managed to torch them during his time with other teams. As a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, the Big Dipper's 62-point performance on March 3, 1966, against the then-San Francisco Warriors once again proved why he was one of the most dominant players in NBA history. 

Chamberlain's game-high performance came off 26-for-39 shooting, adding 10-of-19 from the free-throw line. In typical Chamberlain fashion, not only did he fill the basket, but he also controlled the glass, finishing with 37 rebounds, one less than the rest of his team combined, carrying the 

3. Damian Lillard - 61 Points 

On January 20, 2020, Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard delivered a memorable modern-day performance against the Warriors. Playing at the Moda Center, Lillard exploded for 61 points on 17-of-37 shooting from the field, including a spectacular 11-of-20 from three-point range. He also converted all 16 of his free throw attempts in 45 minutes of action.

Lillard's performance was a complete offensive clinic. He added 10 rebounds and 7 assists to his 61 points. The Blazers won in overtime 129-124, with Lillard accounting for nearly half of his team's points. While this game was played with four of the Warriors' starters in street clothes, it doesn’t take away from Lillard’s ability to score from anywhere on the court and his ability to take and make some of the biggest shots in league history. 

4. Fred Brown - 58 Points 

Seattle SuperSonics guard Fred Brown put together one of the franchise's greatest individual performances on March 23, 1974, when he torched the Warriors for 58 points, leading the Sonics to a 139-137 victory. Ironically, even though his nickname is "Downtown", Brown played most of his career in a time when there was no three-point line, finishing this game shooting 24-for-37 from the field and 10-for-13 from the line. 

Brown's 58-point outburst came during the Warriors' championship season, but on this night, they had no answer for the Sonics' sharpshooter. The performance stands as the highest-scoring individual performance in the SuperSonics franchise history. Hitting a variety of mid-range jumpers, drives to the hoop, and free throws, Brown was one of the premier scorers during the mid 1970s. 

5. LeBron James - 56 Points

On March 5, 2022, LeBron James reminded everyone that age is just a number. At 37 years old, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar torched the Golden State Warriors for 56 points on 19-of-31 shooting from the field, including 6-of-11 from three-point range and 12-of-13 from the free throw line. 

Thanks in large part to James’ scoring, the Lakers walked away with a 124-116 victory.  In his 20th season, James showed his ability to score from all three levels, attacking the rim with the same explosiveness he showed in his prime, knocking down mid-range jumpers, and draining threes as he outscored the other four Lakers starters on his own. While the Lakers would fail to make the playoffs, finishing the season 11th in the Western Conference standings, James’ 56-point effort added to his all-time scoring record.