The Highest Points Scored Against the San Antonio Spurs in NBA History

Since joining the NBA in 1976 after the ABA-NBA merger, the San Antonio Spurs have built a reputation as one of basketball's most consistent franchises, anchored by defensive excellence and systematic precision for nearly three decades under Gregg Popovich. Yet despite their stingy defense, there have been numerous high-scoring games by opposing players throughout the Spurs' history. 

1. Joel Embiid - 70 Points

Joel Embiid delivered the most dominant performance by an opposing player in San Antonio Spurs history on January 22, 2024, scoring 70 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 victory at Wells Fargo Center. “The Process” shot 24-of-41 from the field, hit 1-of-2 from three-point range, and made 21-of-23 free throws while adding 18 rebounds and 5 assists in just 37 minutes. Embiid not only broke Wilt Chamberlain's 76ers franchise record of 68 points, set in 1967, but also tallied the most points scored in a single game that season. In the first matchup between Embiid and rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, who responded with 33 points and 7 rebounds in 29 minutes, the Spurs' young star was unable to carry his team to victory, falling 133-123. Embiid had 24 points in the first quarter alone and reached 59 points through three quarters to tie his previous career high. The 70-point explosion came during a stretch in which Embiid scored at least 30 points in 21 consecutive games, making a convincing argument for a potential second straight MVP award. 

2. Jalen Brunson - 61 Points

Jalen Brunson put on one of the most spectacular individual performances in New York Knicks history on March 29, 2024, scoring a career-high 61 points in a heartbreaking 130-126 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Brunson shot 25-of-47 from the field, hit 5-of-13 from three-point range, and went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line while adding 6 assists and 4 rebounds in 43 minutes. Brunson ended the night one point shy of Carmelo Anthony's Knicks franchise record of 62 points set in 2014, missing a three-pointer with five seconds remaining in overtime that would have given New York the lead and a new record. Countering Brunson’s effort was that of Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, who had 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 7 assists. This was the first 40-point, 20-rebound game by a rookie since Shaquille O'Neal in 1993. Brunson scored 24 points in the third quarter alone, hitting 10-of-13 from the field to power the Knicks back from a 21-point halftime deficit, only to have the Spurs win the overtime period 9-5.

3. James Harden - 61 Points

James Harden matched his career high with 61 points on March 22, 2019, including an impressive 27 points in the first quarter, to lead the Houston Rockets to a 111-105 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Harden shot 19-of-34 from the field, drained 9-of-13 from three-point range, and added 14-of-17 from the free-throw line with 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and a shocking single assist in 37 minutes. The performance came during Harden's historic 2018-19 season in which he averaged 36.1 points per game, leading the league in scoring for the second of three straight seasons. This would be Harden's ninth time he scored 50 or more points that season. Ironically, Harden’s career high had been set just two months earlier when he lit up the New York Knicks for 61 points at Madison Square Garden. 

4. Karl-Anthony Towns - 60 Points

Karl-Anthony Towns delivered the best game of his career (at the time) on March 14, 2022, scoring a franchise-record 60 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 149-139 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Towns shot 19-of-31 from the field, hit 7-of-11 from three-point range, and made 15-of-16 free throws while grabbing 17 rebounds and dishing 3 assists in 36 minutes. The performance was highlighted by a third quarter in which Towns erupted for 32 points while making 5 three-pointers and going 9-for-9 from the line. Towns entered the fourth quarter with 56 points, having already broken his previous career high and franchise record of 56 set against Atlanta in 2018. Foul trouble limited KAT to just four minutes, and production in the final quarter was held to just a single three-pointer and a free throw.  The 60 points were the most scored by any NBA player that season.

4. Jayson Tatum - 60 Points 

Jayson Tatum tied Larry Bird's Boston Celtics franchise record with 60 points on April 30, 2021, leading the Celtics to rally from a 29-point halftime deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 143-140 in overtime. Tatum shot 20-of-37 from the field, hit 5-of-7 from three-point range, and made 15-of-17 free throws while adding 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and a blocked shot in 45 minutes. The Celtics trailed 77-48 at halftime after the Spurs opened the game with a 39-16 first quarter. But Tatum, who had scored 14 of Boston's 16 first-quarter points while his teammates struggled, proved to be on a mission. Following a quiet third quarter in which he scored just five points, the Celtics forward poured in 21 points in the fourth quarter to help erase the deficit, then added 10 more in overtime to seal the comeback. Tatum hit a crucial three-pointer with 38 seconds remaining in regulation to give Boston its first lead since the opening minutes, then made four free throws in the final seconds of overtime to clinch the victory. The 32-point comeback was the largest in Celtics' history.