Bam Adebayo's 83-point game draws praise from LeBron, A'ja and more - ESPN

The NBA record book got an update Tuesday, courtesy of Bam Adebayo.

The Miami Heat star erupted for 83 points in a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards, delivering the second-highest scoring game in NBA history — trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's legendary 100-point performance in 1962.

Entering Tuesday, Adebayo's season high was 32 points and his career high was 41. By the end of the opening quarter, he was already approaching both figures. He set the tone immediately, outscoring the entire Wizards team in the first quarter, 31-29.

Adebayo went 20-of-43 from the field, 7-of-22 from 3-point range and 36-of-43 at the free throw line. According to ESPN Research, Adebayo joined Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history with at least 20 made field goals and 25 free throws in a single game.

The performance topped the modern-era benchmark set by Kobe Bryant's 81-point game in 2006 — a mark that stood as the highest scoring performance since Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point night until Luka Doncic scored 73 points on Jan. 26, 2024.

As Adebayo's historic scoring night unfolded, social media lit up with reactions across the basketball world. Here are the top posts celebrating his feat.

Early in the night, Adebayo surpassed a mark held by LeBron James. Miami's previous single-quarter franchise record was 25 points, set by the current Los Angeles Lakers star — a number Adebayo surpassed with his 31-point first quarter.

Later, with his 62nd point, Adebayo broke James' record for the most points in a single game in Heat history.

James was among the first to congratulate him online. His girlfriend, Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson, cheered him on from the sidelines and later joined the celebration online.

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