The Highest Points Scored Against the Milwaukee Bucks in NBA History

Since joining the NBA in 1968, the Milwaukee Bucks have witnessed some of the greatest individual scoring performances in league history. From their early days at the Milwaukee Arena through their championship runs at the MECCA and Bradley Center to their current home at Fiserv Forum, the Bucks have been on the receiving end of unforgettable offensive explosions. 

1. Karl Malone - 61 Points 

On a cold winter night in Salt Lake City, Karl Malone delivered one of the most dominant and efficient scoring performances in NBA history. The Utah Jazz power forward dominated the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 61 points on 21-of-26 shooting and 19-of-23 from the free throw line in just 33 minutes as the Jazz demolished Milwaukee 144–⁠96 at the Salt Palace.

Malone added 18 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals to his January 27, 1990, performance as he and the Jazz overwhelmed the Bucks from tip-off to final buzzer. The 48-point victory margin was combined with Malone's efficiency, scoring 61 points on just 26 field goal attempts while playing only 33 minutes, in what was essentially a blowout from the opening quarter. It was the most points scored by a Jazz player since the franchise moved to Utah from New Orleans.

2. Bradley Beal - 55 Points

Bradley Beal entered Washington’s Capital One Arena on February 24, 2020, coming off a 53-point effort against the Chicago Bulls the night before. Now, facing the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks, he would deliver an encore performance that made history.

Beal exploded for 55 points on 19-of-33 shooting, 8-of-13 from three-point range, and 9-of-10 from the free throw line in 41 minutes, becoming the first player since Kobe Bryant to score 50-plus points in back-to-back games. While the Wizards erased a 20-point deficit to take a late lead, which included 17 consecutive fourth-quarter points from Beal, the Bucks would hold on for a 137–⁠134 overtime victory thanks to Khris Middleton's team-high 40 points. 

2. LeBron James - 55 Points

LeBron James scored 55 points against the Bucks on February 20, 2009, in a dominating performance. Playing at Milwaukee's Bradley Center, James shot 16-of-29 from the field, 8-of-11 from three-point range, and 15-of-22 from the free throw line in 40 minutes as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Bucks 111–⁠103.

Adding 9 assists and 5 rebounds, it would be James' third-quarter explosion that made the difference for the Cavs. Trailing 57–⁠51 at halftime, James scored 16 points in the first 2 minutes and 50 seconds of the third quarter, erasing a six-point deficit and turning it into an eight-point Cleveland lead. The run included four three-pointers on five consecutive Cavaliers possessions, with each shot seemingly longer than the last, bringing the Cleveland bench to their feet in celebration as their leader put together one of the most impressive single-quarter performances in NBA history. 

4. Jermaine O'Neal - 55 Points

Fresh off a 15-game suspension for his role in the Malice at the Palace, Jermaine O'Neal returned to the Indiana Pacers lineup as a one-man wrecking crew. On January 4, 2005, facing the Milwaukee Bucks at Conseco Fieldhouse, O'Neal had the best game of his career with 55 points on 18-of-28 shooting and 19-of-25 from the free throw line in just 36 minutes as the Pacers dominated 116-99.

O'Neal scored Indiana's first 14 points and finished with 29 in the first half alone, dominating a Bucks frontline that had no answer for his combination of power, touch, and athleticism. The 55 points were both an NBA season high and O'Neal's career high. O’Neal’s 25 free throw attempts set a Pacers franchise record that still stands today, and he came just three points shy of George McGinnis' all-time franchise scoring record of 58 set in the ABA in 1972.

5. Tyrese Maxey - 54 Points

Tyrese Maxey walked into Fiserv Forum on November 20, 2025, for this early Eastern Conference battle, averaging a league-high 40.3 minutes per game and coming off 39 minutes the night before against Toronto. Playing 47 minutes, the Sixers guard recorded a career-high 54 points on 18-of-30 shooting, 6-of-15 from three-point range, and 12-of-14 from the free throw line as the Philadelphia 76ers outlasted the Milwaukee Bucks 123–⁠114 in overtime.

With both Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined, Maxey was the star of the game. He added 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks in a dominating performance, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in 76ers history to record at least 50 points and 9 assists in a single game. The Bucks took a seven-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but Maxey kept Philadelphia alive with shot after shot, eventually tying the game by hitting two free throws with seven seconds left in regulation after Ryan Rollins had given Milwaukee the lead with a three-pointer. In overtime, Maxey scored five points and hit all four of his free throw attempts in the final 22.7 seconds to seal the victory.