The highest-scoring game in NBA history remains the extraordinary meeting between the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets on December 13, 1983, when the two teams combined for 370 points.
Detroit eventually secured a 186-184 victory at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver after three overtime periods. More than four decades later, the game still holds the NBA record for the most combined points in a single game.
Detroit and Denver Produce a Record-Breaking Night
The game featured two teams that were well suited to an offensive shootout. Denver finished the 1983-84 season as the NBA’s highest-scoring team, averaging 123.7 points per game, while Detroit averaged 117.1.
Neither side could create enough separation on the night. The teams were level at 74-74 at halftime, while Detroit held a five-point advantage after three quarters. Denver appeared set to win in regulation before Detroit forced extra time.
The game ultimately required three overtimes before the Pistons could finish the job.
The final score was 186-184, giving Detroit the highest single-team scoring total in NBA history at the time and producing 370 points between the two sides. NBA records confirm that the mark remains the league’s highest combined total.
Four Players Scored at Least 40
The individual performances added another remarkable element to the contest.
Detroit’s Isiah Thomas finished with 47 points and 17 assists, while John Long contributed 41 points. Denver received 51 points from Kiki Vandeweghe and 47 from Alex English. Vandeweghe’s 51 points made him the leading scorer in the game despite Denver eventually losing.
The four players who reached 40 points remain part of the game’s historical significance. NBA records also show that the contest produced 142 combined field goals and 93 assists, both of which were records at the time and remain notable marks from the game.
A Record Set Before the Three-Point Era Took Off
One of the most unusual aspects of the highest-scoring NBA game is how little it relied on three-point shooting.
The three-point line had only recently been introduced to the NBA, and neither team made more than one three-pointer. Detroit went 1-for-2 from beyond the arc, while Denver also made one of its two attempts.
That makes the 370-point total particularly striking when compared with the modern NBA, where three-point shooting plays a much larger role in offensive production.
The previous combined scoring record had been set by Milwaukee and San Antonio, who produced 337 points in a triple-overtime game in March 1982. Detroit and Denver surpassed that mark by 33 points the following year.
The Record Has Survived the Modern Scoring Era
High-scoring NBA games have continued to appear as offensive pace and three-point shooting have increased. In December 2025, Chicago and Atlanta combined for 302 points in a 152-150 regulation game, the highest combined total in regulation since November 2023, according to ESPN. However, that remained well below the 370-point record established in Denver.
The record also survived another major scoring milestone in March 2026, when Miami’s Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against Washington, the second-highest individual scoring performance in NBA history.
For now, the benchmark remains the 186-184 triple-overtime thriller between the Pistons and Nuggets. A modern NBA game would need a combination of exceptional shooting, high pace and extended overtime periods to surpass the 370-point total.