A significant portion of the points that NBA stars score typically come from the free throw line. This is the case when they execute exceptional scoring performances. On the other hand, there are times when players catch fire and light up rival teams completely without making a single attempt at a free throw.
This was the situation that Kevin Durant, a superstar forward for the Phoenix Suns, found himself in on Sunday, January 21, 2024, when the Indiana Pacers were playing. The player who had previously won the Most Valuable Player award finished with a game-high 40 points on 18-for-25 (72.0%) shooting, including 4-for-7 (57.1%) from 3-point range without making a single free throw.In the aftermath of the Suns’ triumph, which they achieved by a score of 117-110, Durant attributed his success to the Pacers’ attempt to guard him one-on-one.
“I had the impression that they were playing us straight up,” Durant stated. And when teams do that, we are going to be aggressive,” the coach said.
In spite of the fact that Durant delivered a superb effort, it does not qualify as one of the highest-scoring outings in NBA history by a player who did not attempt a complimentary throw. There are eleven other players who have scored more than forty points without making a single free throw, and six of those players have done it while scoring at least forty-four points.
Taking this into consideration, the following six players, according to Stathead, have the top scoring performances despite not having attempted any free throws:
Performances in NBA history that set the record for highest scoring by a player who did not attempt a free throw
#T3 Klay Thompson (44 points)
Klay Thompson, a standout shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors, is one of three players who have scored 44 points without making any tries at free throws. It was on January 21, 2019, that the four-time NBA champion accomplished this feat. He shot 17-for-20 (85.0%) against the Los Angeles Lakers, including 10-for-11 (90.9%) from three-point range.
The five-time All-Star had three career games in which he scored more than 40 points without making a single attempt at a free throw. This scorching hot excursion was one of those outings.
#T3 Wally Szczerbiak (44 points)
In a game against the Chicago Bulls on April 13, 2003, Wally Szczerbiak, a former All-Star wing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, scored 44 points without making a single free throw.
A remarkable 19-for-26 (73.1%) shooting performance was achieved by the sniper, including a 6-for-7 (85.7%) performance from deep.
#T3 Alex English (44 points)
Alex English, a famous member of the Denver Nuggets, is the third player to score 44 points while making no attempts at free throws by himself. This occurred on March 3, 1984, when the eight-time All-Star was playing against the Utah Jazz.
English fired a scorching 22-for-32 (68.8%) without making a single attempt at a three-point shot.
#T2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (48 points)
Additionally, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a legend of the Milwaukee Bucks, scored 48 points without making a single attempt at a free throw. On January 25, 1973, the six-time Most Valuable Player accomplished this feat by shooting an outstanding 24-for-32 (75.0%) against the Houston Rockets.
Notably, Abdul-Jabbar’s outstanding performance occurred prior to the third-point line being adopted in the National Basketball Association.
#1 Jamal Murray (50 points)
Jamal Murray, the great point guard for the Denver Nuggets, is the first player in the history of the National Basketball Association to have scored fifty points without attempt at a free throw.
In a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 19, 2021, the NBA champion had a night that broke the record for games played. Including eight of ten shots from beyond the arc, Murray had a blazing 21-for-25 (84.0%) shooting percentage.