The Highest Points Scored Against the Washingon Wizards in NBA History

The Washington Wizards franchise has operated under many identities over its NBA history. Starting as the Chicago Packers in 1961, becoming the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962, relocating to Baltimore as the Bullets in 1963, moving to Washington, D.C. in 1973 as the Capital/Washington Bullets, and finally adopting the Wizards name in 1997. Regardless of where they were located or the name they operated under, the team has seen its share of high-scoring games by opposing players. 

1. Wilt Chamberlain - 73 Points

Wilt Chamberlain recorded the highest-scoring performance against the Wizards franchise on January 13, 1962, dropping 73 points on 28-of-48 field goals and 15-of-25 free throws against the expansion Chicago Packers in the Philadelphia Warriors' 135-117 victory. Chamberlain shot 29-of-48 from the field and added 15-of-25 free throws while pulling down 36 rebounds in a complete 48-minute effort. The performance came during Chamberlain's historic 1961-62 season when he averaged 50.4 points per game. The expansion Packers, playing in their inaugural season, had little to no answer outside of Walt Bellamy’s 35 points and 23 rebounds for the Warriors' 7-foot-1 center's combination of power and finesse  

Note: Chamberlain holds three of the top five spots with 73 and a pair of 61-point performances. 

2. Tracy McGrady - 62 Points

Tracy McGrady put together the best performance of his Hall of Fame career on March 10, 2004, scoring a career-high 62 points to lead the Orlando Magic to a 108-99 victory over the Washington Wizards. McGrady shot 20-of-37 from the field, hit 5-of-14 from three-point range, and went 17-for-26 from the free-throw line while adding 10 rebounds and 5 assists in 46 minutes. After a slow start with just seven points in the opening quarter, T-Mac exploded for 21 in the second and 24 in the third, overshadowing a 40-point performance from Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas. McGrady's scoring outburst at Amway Arena helped capture his second consecutive scoring title, averaging 28 points per game.  

3. James Harden - 59 Points 

James Harden and the Houston Rockets needed every one of his 59 points on October 30, 2019, hitting the game-winning free throw with 2.4 seconds remaining to capture a 159-158 victory over the Washington Wizards in the third-highest-scoring regulation game in NBA history. Harden shot 18-of-32 from the field, 6-of-14 from three-point range, and made 17-of-18 free throws while adding 9 assists in 38 minutes. Bradley Beal countered with 46 points for Washington, hitting three free throws with 7 seconds left to tie the game at 158, but Harden sealed the victory by sinking one of two free throws for the win with two seconds left on the clock. The teams combined for 317 points, the most in a regulation game decided by one point in NBA history. 

4. LeBron James - 57 Points

LeBron James poured in 57 points on November 3, 2017, the second-highest total of his career in an early-season Eastern Conference battle, to help the Cleveland Cavaliers end a four-game losing streak with a 130-122 victory at Capital One Arena. James shot 23-of-34 from the field, 2-of-4 from long range, and a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line while adding 11 rebounds and 7 assists in 43 minutes. Perhaps motivated by an ESPN interview two days earlier with Wizards guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, who suggested that the Cavaliers had avoided them in the previous year's playoffs, James made them pay. Entering the fourth quarter with an 11-point lead, James played the entire twelve minutes, dropping 19 points, helping Cleveland stop a four-game slide. 

5. Michael Jordan - 57 Points

Heading into a much hyped Christmas Day matchup against the New York Knicks, Michael Jordan erupted for 57 points on December 23, 1992, leading Chicago to a 107-98 victory over the Washington Bullets at Chicago Stadium. Jordan shot 22-of-37 from the field, hit 6-of-8 from three-point range, and went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line while adding 10 assists, 3 steals, 2 rebounds, and a block in 42 minutes. Contributing to 80 of the team’s 107 points, through his own points and assists, Jordan scored 29 first-half points, 18 in the third quarter, and 10 in the final period to hand the Bullets their eighth consecutive loss.