It was the kind of offensive explosion that comes along in the NBA once in a generation.
The Clippers and Kings—both contenders in a tightly packed Western Conference race—fought for 58 minutes Friday night in a in two overtimes. It was the second highest-scoring game in the history of the league, trailing only a 186–184 Pistons win over the Nuggets on Dec. 13, 1983.
Despite its anomalous nature, however, the game was indicative of a steady increase in scoring that has crept into basketball in recent years. Teams are averaging 114.5 points per game in 2023, a 53-year high and a 16.4-point-per-game increase from 10 years ago.
Asked about this, Kings coach Mike Brown—who also coached during some of the lowest-scoring years of the modern era—took it in stride.
“I hope [scores in the 170s don’t become normal],” Brown said. “I take a baby aspirin daily. I hope not, because then I’d have to go to two baby aspirins.”
Brown led the Cavaliers from 2006 to ’10, and the Lakers for 2012 and part of ’13. In only two of those seasons—his last two in Cleveland—did teams average more than 100 points per game.
