The NBA honored the 18th anniversary of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in style on Monday night.
Superstars like Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns both scored personal and franchise career highs in phenomenal performances, with Embiid notching 70 points and Towns joining in with 62.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 18 years since Bryant scored 81 points in the best performance of his career, but we’re so thrilled that Embiid and Towns paid tribute to that historic night with historic nights of their own.
NBA players and fans all shared their appreciation for this stunning night in basketball, one that we’re not going to forget anytime soon.
Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns both set new single-game franchise scoring records tonight for their teams.
◽️Embiid: 70 PTS | 18 REB
◽️Towns: 62 PTS | 8 REB | 10 3PM pic.twitter.com/XQGULwUhcW— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 23, 2024
This is the 4th instance in NBA history in which 2 players have recorded 60+ points on the same night:
01/22/2024 – Joel Embiid (70) & Karl-Anthony Towns (62)
04/09/1978 – David Thompson (73) & George Gervin (63)
01/17/1962 – Jerry West (63) & Wilt Chamberlain (62)
12/08/1961… pic.twitter.com/eS2rAXfGO0— NBA History (@NBAHistory) January 23, 2024