Being hot in all four quarters in a basketball game gives so much value to the team and gives more chances for your team to win the ball game. But still, having one good quarter is enough to lead your team to victory.
All NBA players are built for scoring, and it is normal for them to have certain points in a quarter. However, some NBA players are incredibly earning tons of points in a quarter. You can consider these players as abnormal because of how fantastic their shooting touch is.
These incredible NBA players have made history in the NBA. Their single quarter points are impressive that will make your jaw drop. The list of the players that score tons of points in one quarter is only a few, so it means that they achieve something that most NBA players are having a hard time attaining. Let us check them out!
1. Klay Thompson (37 points)
Klay Thompson is in the number one spot because he has the best record of points scored in a single quarter. Thompson was a great three-point shooter from the Golden State Warriors. Klay and Curry were given by fans a nickname “Splash Brothers” because of their astounding three-point percentage.
Many people doubted Klay Thompson because of how slow he moved in the court. However, Thompson showed all his haters that they were wrong last 2015. Klay had his historic night when the Dubs and Thompson faced the Kings.
Klay put up a total of 37 points in just 12 minutes in the 3rd quarter. He was perfect from the field with a 13 out of 13 shot percentage. Thompson has also an impressive 9-for-9 outside the arc.
Aside from his impressive performance in that quarter, Thompson garnered another record. He set a record for most three-pointers made in a quarter, and a record for most three-pointers attempted in a single quarter without a single miss shot.
Klay just literally destroyed the Sacramento Kings in that game, and because of that game, I think Thompson needs some recognition. He wrote himself in the book of the history of the NBA.
2. Kevin Love (34 points)
Kevin Love shows the whole fandom of the NBA that he can score. Love had the best quarter of his career on November 24, 2016, just one year after Thompson had a historic night in Oracle against the Kings. He and the Cavs are going against the Portland Trailblazers.
Love scored 34 points in the first quarter that shocked the bench of Portland Trail Blazers. He was 11-for-14 in the field, and he drained eight of his ten attempts outside the arc. Love scored almost all of the Cavalier’s first-quarter score. Lebron helped Kevin Love by setting great plays that made Kevin Love wide open.
Kevin Love’s terrific quarter break Gervin’s and Carmelo’s record. However, the minutes he had was not enough to beat the record of Klay Thompson.
3. George Gervin (33 points)
George Gervin was an athletic NBA player. He played for the San Antonio Spurs after two seasons in the ABA. Gervin had his best quarter in his career last NBA 1979 season. He and the Spurs faced the 76ers in the playoffs. Gervin beat Thompson’s record and set a new record seven hours after Thompson’s historic game. George Gervin scored 33 points in the first quarter that made his name well-known. However, Carmelo tied Gervin’s record last 2008 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
4. Carmelo Anthony (33 points)
Last 2008, the former Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony had an offensive explosion. On the same night, Carmelo tied George Gervin’s record. He faced the Minnesota Timberwolves and showed that he belongs in the spot of best scorers in the NBA.
In the third quarter of the game, Carmelo exploded garnering 33 points. Melo was 12-for-15 from the field and made four out of five outside the arc. Likewise, Melo destroyed the Timberwolves (116-105).
After a few years, Carmelo’s record was surpassed by Klay Thompson in 2015. Thompson went 37 points against the Sacramento Kings.
5. David Thompson (32 points)
David Thompson is an NBA Hall of Famer. He had an amazing career and an amazing quarter in his entire life that shows that he truly deserved to be on the list of the NBA Hall Of Fame.
While having a scoring race against his fellow Hall of Famer, George Gervin, Thompson made his name more famous for having an impressive quarter in his game. He exploded in the first quarter of the final game of the 1977-78 NBA season. He scored a total of 73 points including 32 points in the first quarter.
Because of that impressive game, David Thompson was the first player to beat Wilt Chamberlain’s 30 points in a one-quarter record.
Despite successfully setting a new record, Thompson’s record did not last long. After that night, Gervin beat Thompson’s newly set record later after that game. Gervin dropped 33 points in the second quarter of his game.
After David Thompson heard the news he stated in the media how disappointed he was. He said:
“Gervin’s Spurs lost, 152-132, but George had already broken my mark for most points in a quarter with 33 in the second frame.”
“That has to be a record in itself”. “It took me 16 years to break Wilt’s mark, but it only took Gervin seven hours to break mine.”
6. Wilt Chamberlain (31 points)
Wilt Chamberlain is the only player that scored 100 points in one game. He had an impressive career and became one of the best scoring leaders in the NBA. He set different records that no one has ever broken until today.
The big man and his team faced the Nicks in the 1962 NBA season. He scored 100 points against the Nicks, and in the first quarter, Wilt scored 23 points. He dropped 18 points in the second quarter, and 28 in the third quarter.
His scoring in the three quarters is impressive. However, he lacked 31 points to make it to 100. Yeah, you are right! Wilt scored 31 points in the fourth quarter, and if you know how to do simple addition try adding it up.
The GOAT is the only player that has scored 100 points in NBA history. No one has ever broken his record but who knows?. Despite his impressive scoring on that game, Wilt’s 31 points in one quarter have put him only in the fifth spot of best single quarter performance of all time.
Final Words
It is usual for an NBA player to drop 40-30 points in one game. However, dropping 30 plus points in one quarter puts a player on another level. Sooner or later somebody will beat Klay Thompson’s record, and I can’t wait to know who will be that player.
