‘Ridiculous’: Highest scoring match in 40 years stuns NBA

The NBA has looked on in disbelief after the Kings and the Clippers played out one of the craziest matches in recent memory.

What a thriller. Photo: Harry How/Getty Images/AFP

The Sacramento Kings have claimed a one-point win over the LA Clippers in the second highest-scoring match in NBA history.

The double overtime thriller finished 176-175 and had it all with the Kings’ Malik Monk (45 points), De’Aaron Fox (42 points, 12 assists) and Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (44 points) each scoring more than 40 points.

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Monk was just the fifth player in the Kings’ history and just the second in the NBA this season to score 40 off the bench as well.

It was the fifth time in NBA history there had been three 40-point scorers in a match and the first time since 2012.

The incredible finish was complete and utter madness in the first match since Russell Westbrook moved to the Clippers.

The highest scoring match of all-time in the NBA remains a 186-184 Detroit Pistons triple overtime win over the Denver Nuggets on December 13 1983.

However, another period of overtime may have seen the record fall.

Russell Westbrook’s Clippers debut won’t be quickly forgotten. Photo: Harry How/Getty Images/AFP

It was all offence in the high-scoring thriller. Photo: Harry How/Getty Images/AFP

Incredibly, the Clippers appeared to have wrapped the game up, leading 175-169 with just under two minutes remaining but seven straight points to the Kings steal the one-point win.

The Clippers did have the final shot but missed its three-point attempt at the buzzer.

“It was fun. The atmosphere was crazy,” Monk said. “Seeing all the Kings fans in here, too — it was loud. The Kings’ side, too. We just stuck with it, man.

“Got down like 10 or 12 at one point in the fourth, came back. We just had our heads up, and we knew they were gonna let us back in it.”

On the other end of the floor, Leonard gave a much shorter response when asked about playing in the high-scoring thriller.

“It was ridiculous,” he said.

Social media was blown away by the stunning result.

The NBA social media team called it a “game of the year contender”.

Remarkable: Kings 176, Clippers 175 (2 OT). Second highest-scoring NBA game ever.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 25, 2023

“Y’all gonna play defense?”

Clippers and Kings: pic.twitter.com/Wh2YXifiPA

— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) February 25, 2023

Make next year’s All-Star game just Kings vs Clippers.

— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) February 25, 2023

Might have been the highest level game of basketball I’ve been apart of. Both teams. Shot making, execution, everything. LIGHT THAT BEAM🔦🟣

— Kevin Huerter (@KevinHuerter) February 25, 2023

This Clippers-Kings game - 176-175 in 2 OTs! - was the NBA's Game of the Year. Malik Monk made some EXTRAORDINARY clutch bomb 3s. Just out of his mind. Lakers miss him. Kawhi often looked like the NBA's best 2-way player but couldn't close it.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 25, 2023