Top Five Scoring Performances In Jazz History

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – March 2 marks the anniversary of the single greatest scoring performance in NBA history. On this date in 1962, Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points against the New York Knicks in a 169-147 victory.

Chamberlain connected on 36-63 shot attempts, and 28-32 free-throw attempts to become the only player in NBA history to reach the century mark in his own.

On this anniversary, we look back at the top five performances in Jazz franchise history to commemorate Chamberlian’s greatness.

Top Five Scoring Games in Jazz History

1. Pete Maravich: February 27, 1977

68 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks

In the single greatest scoring performance in Jazz history, “Pistol” Pete Maravich put up 68 points in a 124-107 victory over the Knicks at the Louisiana Superdome.

Maravich scored his 68 points on 24-43 shooting from the floor and 16-19 makes from the free-throw line.

February 25, 1977: Pistol Pete Maravich scores a career high 68 points leading the New Orleans Jazz to a 124-107 win over the NY Knicks. Maravich was 26-43 FG and scored 68 without a 3-point line. #takenote #NBA #NBATwitter https://t.co/gkadlS37t2 pic.twitter.com/JKKHkOE1eC

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) March 29, 2020

This performance came before the advent of the three-point line which likely would have led to more historic scoring outputs from the superstar showman.

The guard fouled out of the game with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter, and ultimately fell short of breaking the 70 point mark

Beyond his 68 points, Maravich also found to time grab six rebounds, dish out six assists, grab three steals and block two shots in perhaps the most impressive all-around game in Jazz history.

Maravich’s 68 points are tied for the 13th highest scoring output in NBA history.

2. Karl Malone: January 27, 1990

61 points, 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals

After NBA fans voted for Los Angeles Lakers forward AC Green to start in for the Western Conference All-Star team ahead of Karl Malone, the league’s second-leading scorer, “The Mailman” took his frustration out on the hapless Milwaukee Bucks.

Malone scored 61 points on 21-26 shooting from the floor and 19-23 from the free-throw line while also snaring a dominating 18 rebounds.

Message Delivered: Karl Malone drops a career high 61 points (vs @Bucks) after he doesn't get voted in among the West starters in 1990. pic.twitter.com/pvCeU2T81y

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) January 24, 2017

Perhaps most impressively, due to the lopsided score in the 144-96 blowout, Malone played just 33 minutes in the game, five minutes short of his season average.

Had “The Mailman” reached his 38-minute average, he may have joined Chamberlain to become only the second player in NBA history to have a 70 point, 20 rebounding outing.

3. Adrian Dantley: December 4, 1982

57 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists

Coming in tied at number three on the list, Adrian Dantley scored a career-high 57 points for the Jazz in a 131-124 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Even with the three-point line at his service, Dantley scored all 57 of his points inside the arc, connecting on 20-27 field goals and 17-22 from the free-throw line.

OTD (1982) Adrian Dantley dropped 57 PTS (20/27 FG) on the Bulls!

The 2 x scoring champ averaged over 30 for 4 straight seasons. He has also scored 50+ 6 times & shot over 66% in every one of them. pic.twitter.com/MgxNroy2Or

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) December 4, 2020

Though he has only one outing qualify for the top-five scoring performances in Jazz history, Dantley leads the franchise in career 50 point games with six.

4. Donovan Mitchell: August 17, 2020 (Playoffs)

57 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal

In undoubtedly the greatest postseason performance in Jazz history, Donovan Mitchell tied the third-highest scoring output in franchise history with 57 points.

More impressively, Mitchell’s 57 point game against the Denver Nuggets is the third-highest scoring output by any player in NBA postseason history, trailing only Michael Jordan’s 63 and Elgin Baylor’s 61 point performances.

57 Pts
19-33 FG
6-15 3-Pt FG
13-13 FT
9 Reb
7 Ast

Donovan Mitchell put on a SHOW despite the loss. pic.twitter.com/gBHM0mwhOR

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 17, 2020

The Jazz fell to the Nuggets 135-125 but not because of lack of brilliance from Mitchell. The All-Star guard connected on 18-33 field goal attempts, 6-13 three-point attempts, and all 13 of his free-throws to reach 57.

In addition to his huge scoring total, the guard also grabbed nine rebounds and handed out seven assists in the loss.

Mitchell is one of only two Jazz players to score 50 points in a playoff game, joining Malone, and he’s the only player in franchise history to do it twice.

5. Karl Malone: April 7, 1998

56 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks

Proving that age was no factor, the two-time MVP proved he was still capable of enormous scoring outputs when he hung 56 points on the Golden State Warriors in Oakland.

“The Mailman” connected on 18-29 shots from the floor and 19-23 free-throw in the victory.

In honor of Lou Williams tonight, here’s Karl Malone’s 56 point outing, including the game winner at GSW.

Poor Clarence Weatherspoon.https://t.co/IAUPpRrjJP

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) January 11, 2018

But it wasn’t like Malone was simply padding his stats, the Jazz needed all 57 points from their star as they narrowly beat the Warriors 101-99.

At age 34, Malone because the oldest player in NBA history to score at least 56 points, a record passed only by the late Kobe Bryant who scored 60 against the Jazz in his last NBA game at age 37.