FILE – Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts after making a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets Saturday, March 9, 2019, in Milwaukee. The Bucks won, 131-114. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
MILWAUKEE — This is now the season of the 50-point scorer in the NBA.
There have been 11 players to score at least 50 in a game this season, the most of any season in league history. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 52-point effort in Milwaukee’s loss to Philadelphia on Sunday was the record-breaker, after 10 different players scored 50 in each of the last two seasons.
The other 50-point scorers this season: LaMarcus Aldridge, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, James Harden, LeBron James, Damian Lillard, Derrick Rose, Klay Thompson and Kemba Walker. Harden has done it six times, the others once apiece.
The 11 players have combined for 16 games of 50 or more points this season. That’s the NBA’s most since 2006-07, when there were 18 — 10 by Kobe Bryant alone.