The Highest Points Scored Against the Philadelphia 76ers in NBA History

The Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, bringing with them a rich basketball history. Regardless of where the franchise has been located,  some of the biggest names in the game, and some unexpected ones, have had career nights against the team now known as the 76ers. 

1. Wilt Chamberlain - 70 Points

Before he wore a 76ers uniform, Wilt Chamberlain made the Syracuse Nationals (the team that would become the 76ers) his primary scoring target. On March 10, 1963, playing for the San Francisco Warriors, Chamberlain dropped 70 points in a 163-148 loss to the Nationals. The Big Dipper shot 27-of-38 from the field and added 16-of-20 free throws, pulling down 18 rebounds in a legendary performance. This was the last of Chamberlain's six career 70-point games, and it came during the 1962-63 season when he averaged 44.8 points per game. The performance stands as the highest-scoring game in franchise history against the Sixers. 

Note: Chamberlain's other 60+ point games against Syracuse/Philadelphia include 68 points (twice) and 66 points. 

2. Kemba Walker - 60 Points

Kemba Walker put together one of the most spectacular individual performances in Charlotte Hornets history on November 17, 2018, torching the 76ers for a career-high 60 points in a heartbreaking 122-119 overtime loss. Walker shot 21-of-34 from the field, hit 6-of-13 from three-point range, and went a perfect 12-of-12 from the free-throw line in 45 minutes. He added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals, outscoring his entire team's bench combined. The night belonged to Walker until the final seconds, when Jimmy Butler blocked his potential go-ahead layup in overtime and then drained a game-winning three-pointer with 0.3 seconds left. Despite the loss, Walker cemented his legacy as the Hornets' all-time leading scorer and the second player in NBA history to score 60 against the 76ers.

2. Bradley Beal - 60 Points

Bradley Beal erupted for a career-high 60 points on January 6, 2021, but his best effort wasn't enough as Joel Embiid (38 points, 11 rebounds) and the 76ers handed Washington a 141-136 loss at Wells Fargo Center. Beal shot 20-of-25 from the field, 7-of-10 from three, and 13-of-15 from the free-throw line while adding 7 rebounds and 5 assists. The Wizards guard had 32 points in the first half alone, outscoring the rest of his Wizards teammates as Philadelphia built a 21-point lead. He reached 57 points through three quarters and seemed on the verge of completing the comeback. However, the Sixers limited Beal to just 3 points in the final frame. Beal sank a free throw with 4.4 seconds left to hit the 60-point mark, tying Gilbert Arenas for the Wizards' franchise record. 

4. Richie Guerin - 57 Points

Long before the Syracuse Nationals became the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks guard Richie Guerin put on a scoring clinic at Madison Square Garden on December 11, 1959, scoring 57 points in a 152-121 blowout over the Nationals. Guerin shot 18-of-31 from the field and an impressive 21-of-26 from the free-throw line in 38 minutes, adding 12 rebounds and 8 assists. The 6-foot-4 guard from the Bronx had a breakout season in 1959-60, averaging 21.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, and his 57 points shattered Carl Braun's previous Knicks franchise record of 47 points. The game saw Guerin outplay a rotating cast of Syracuse defenders, including Hal Greer, Larry Costello, Al Bianchi, Frank Selvy, and Dick Barnett. The record stood as the Knicks' single-game scoring mark for 35 years until Bernard King dropped 60 on Christmas Day 1984.

5. Michael Jordan - 56 Points

Michael Jordan's third NBA season featured countless scoring explosions, and his 56-point outburst against the 76ers on March 24, 1987, was one of the most efficient. Jordan shot 20-of-30 from the field, 2-of-6 from three-point range, and 14-of-17 from the free-throw line in the Chicago Bulls' 93-91 victory. The Bulls' budding star guard also added 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks in a performance that filled the box score on both ends of the court. The 23-year-old Jordan was averaging 37.1 points per game that season, the highest scoring average since Wilt Chamberlain's 50.4 in 1961-62. His 56 points remain his highest-scoring performance against the Sixers franchise and one of the ten best in his legendary career.