One of the most well-known facts in basketball lore is that all-time great Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in an NBA game. Kobe Bryant's 81-point performance, which falls second behind only Chamberlain's record, is often viewed as being even more impressive.
While standout individual scoring performances are universally known, the single-game scoring records set by teams aren't as easy to recall.
Through the years, the ways in which NBA teams score have changed, with the revolution of the 3-pointer allowing teams to quickly score points in a hurry. Long before the 3-ball was a staple, however, there were teams that managed to put up big numbers.
What is the record for most points scored by a team in an NBA game? Here is a look back at some of the single-game scoring marks that could stand the test of time.
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Most points scored by an NBA team
Although we've already seen two teams crack 150 points in regulation — the Celtics scored 155 on the Pacers on Nov. 1 and the Pacers scored 152 on the Spurs on Nov. 6 — those scores don't even come close to breaking the NBA record.
The regular-season record for most points scored by a team in an NBA game is 186, set by the Pistons on Dec. 13, 1983.
Detroit's record output came in a triple-overtime marathon in which it earned a two-point win over Denver, which, as a result, falls second on the all-time list of points in a game with 184. In 1990, the Suns tied the record for most points scored in regulation, scoring 173 points in a 30-point win over the Nuggets.
Here is a list of the highest-scoring team performances in NBA history:
| Rank | Total points | Teams | Date |
| 1. | 186 | Detroit Pistons vs. Denver Nuggets (3OT) | Dec. 13, 1983 |
| 2. | 184 | Denver Nuggets vs. Detroit Pistons (3OT) | Dec. 13, 1983 |
| 3. | 176 | Sacramento Kings vs. LA Clippers (2OT) | Feb. 24, 2023 |
| 4. | 175 | LA Clippers vs. Sacramento Kings (2OT) | Feb. 24, 2023 |
| 5. | 173 | Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets | Nov. 10, 1990 |
| 173 | Boston Celtics vs. Minneapolis Lakers | Feb. 27, 1959 | |
| 7. | 171 | San Antonio Spurs vs. Milwaukee Bucks (3OT) | March 6, 1982 |
| 8. | 169 | Philadelphia Warriors vs. New York Knicks | March 2, 1962 |
| 9. | 168 | Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks (4OT) | March 1, 2019 |
| 168 | Denver Nuggets vs. Seattle Supersonics | March 16, 2008 |
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Most points scored in an NBA game
The Nuggets-Pistons triple-overtime thriller holds the record with 370 combined points. The record was threatened during the 2022-23 season, when the Kings and Clippers were engaged in a double-overtime thriller.
The highest-scoring game in regulation was played between the Warriors and Nuggets on Nov. 2, 1990, when both teams combined to score 320 points.
Here are the 10 highest-scoring games in NBA history:
| Rank | Total Points | Game Result | Date |
| 1. | 370 | Detroit Pistons 186, Denver Nuggets 184 (3OT) | Dec. 13, 1983 |
| 2. | 351 | Sacramento Kings 176, LA Clippers 175 (2OT) | Feb. 24, 2023 |
| 3. | 337 | San Antonio Spurs 171, Milwaukee Bucks 166 (3OT) | March 6, 1982 |
| 4. | 329 | Chicago Bulls 168, Atlanta Hawks 161 (4OT) | March 1, 2019 |
| 5. | 320 | Golden State Warriors 162, Denver Nuggets 158 | Nov. 2, 1990 |
| 6. | 318 | Denver Nuggets 163, San Antonio Spurs 155 | Jan. 11, 1984 |
| 318 | Phoenix Suns 161, New Jersey Nets 157 (2OT) | Dec. 7, 2006 | |
| 8. | 317 | Houston Rockets 159, Washington Wizards 158 | Oct. 30, 2019 |
| 9. | 316 | Philadelphia Warriors 169, New York Knicks 147 | March 2, 1962 |
| 316 | Cincinnati Royals 165, San Diego Rockets 151 | March 12, 1970 | |
| 316 | Phoenix Suns 173, Denver Nuggets 143 | Nov. 10, 1990 |