List of highest scoring NBA games

In basketball, points are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals (worth two points from within the three-point line or three points from beyond the three-point line) or free throws (worth one point). The team that records the most points at the end of a game is declared the game's winner. If the game is still tied at the end of regulation play, additional overtime period(s) are played in order to determine the winner.

Teams only averaged around 80 points per game in the years following the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1946. Before the introduction of the shot clock, teams often ran out the clock by passing the ball more frequently after they established a lead in a game. If one team chose to stall, the other team (especially if behind) would often commit fouls to regain possession. This resulted in very low-scoring games with many fouls, affecting attendance by making fans irritable. Starting in the 1954–55 season, the NBA implemented a 24-second shot clock. If the offensive team fails to hit the rim with the ball within the allotted time, they would lose possession. This innovation resulted in much higher scoring games. All of the highest-scoring games in the NBA have happened during the shot-clock era.

The highest-scoring regular season game is the triple-overtime game between the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets on December 13, 1983. The two teams combined to score 370 points, with the Pistons defeating the Nuggets 186–184. An NBA-record four players scored over 40 points in the game, including the Nuggets' Kiki Vandeweghe with a game-high 51. The two teams also set several other NBA records, including the most points scored by one team (186 points), the most points scored by a losing team (184), the most field goals by two teams (142), most field goals by one team (74) and most assists by two teams (93).

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