All-Time NBA Record Holders
Few things are more amazing than witnessing an elite athlete put together a dominating NBA career. They redefine the game of basketball for a generation of fans and set a standard by which other players are measured. Their impact is most visible in the record books.
Many of these NBA records have become legendary. They represent milestones that could prove nearly impossible for future pro basketball players to reach.
Single game scoring record: Wilt Chamberlain (1962)
Many elite scorers have come and gone in the NBA since Chamberlain dominated the league in the 1960s. None could match his scoring prowess. Chamberlain set the single game mark when he tallied 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 169-147 victory over the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962. He shot 36 of 63 from the field and 28 of 32 from the free throw line. Chamberlain also finished with NBA single season records in points (4,029) and scoring average (50.4) points per game during the 1961-62 season.
Career assists and steals records: John Stockton (1984-2003)
Utah Jazz fans booed when the team drafted Stockton in the first round of the 1984 NBA Draft. He was a little-known point guard out of Gonzaga at the time. Stockton would soon become one of the greatest point guards in league history. In his 18 seasons, he set all-time marks for assists (15,806) and steals (3,625). Utah never missed the playoffs during his career and he helped lead the team to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998.
Single game playoff scoring record: Michael Jordan (1986)
Jordan is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. During his prime, he had no equals as an offensive threat. The first evidence of this came in the 1986 NBA playoffs. Jordan missed most of the season with an injury. He came back in time to lead the Chicago Bulls against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Jordan scored 63 points in a double overtime game on April 20, 1986. The Bulls lost the series, but Jordan demonstrated the offensive punch he later used to lead Chicago to six NBA titles.
Career three-point field goals: Ray Allen (1996-2014)
Allen had a starring role in the 1998 Spike Lee movie "He Got Game" and that phrase is an apt description for his entire NBA career. He has filled a valuable role as a clutch outside shooter on championship teams with Boston and Miami. Allen is the all-time leader in career three-pointers made with 2,973 in 7,429 attempts — good for a shooting percentage of 40 percent.
Most consecutive games played: A.C. Green (1985-2001)
Green missed three games in his second season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He would never sit out another NBA game for the remainder of his career. Green played 1,192 consecutive games with four different teams before retiring at the end of the 2000-01 season. He played 1,278 out of a possible 1,281 games during 15 seasons.
