Technically, an NBA game is determined within 48 minutes, but if you’ve played enough basketball, you know that almost every game there is a stretch of the game that has a lasting imprint on the outcome. In the seven decades of the NBA, there have been some incredible individual performances in single quarters that have defied the odds. When you look at the single quarter records below, it’s almost unimaginable that they actually happened if we didn’t have proof.
The Most Points, Rebounds, Assists in a Quarter
In every instance, the “most in a quarter” records are above the average of what you would expect from a player to achieve in four quarters of a game, much less 12 minutes. The following records are a highly interesting set of records to look at, and they can help when using NBA 1st quarter o/u stats in sports betting. They’ll allow you to gain an idea of just what is possible in those first 12 minutes, and how sometimes, the odds can be beaten.
Most Points in One Quarter
Klay Thompson Scores 37 Points in One Quarter On January 23rd, 2015against the Sacramento Kings, Thompson was having a relatively standard game. However,Thompson went off in the 3rd quarter and scored an insane 37 points, which beat the previous record of 34 points from Kevin Love. His performance included a whopping nine three pointers and ended with him tying the then record for most 3pters in a game at 11. His performance was insane, and it will be forever remembered. Klay finished the game with 54 points.
Threes Made in One Quarter
Klay Thompson Hits 9 Threes in One Quarter Of course, following on from the above record, the next logical entry is the most 3pters in a quarter. Thompson scored nine 3pters in the 3rd quarter and ended up tying the all-time record.
Free Throws Made in One Quarter
Anthony Davis Makes 18 Free Throws in 3rd Quarter. Davis is an incredibly versatile, big man with great handles and a sweet shot. In 2019, he entered the record books against the Memphis Grizzlies, finishing an impressive 40 point 20 rebound performance. However, this was not the record-setting part. During this game, he managed to score an incredible 18 free throws in one quarter, which helped the Lakers blow out the Grizzlies.
Most Rebounds in One Quarter
Nate Thurmond Dominates Cleans Glass Nate Thurmond was a legendary player and an excellent rebounder⎯ he averaged 8.9rpg across his entire career. At his peak, the San Francisco big man averaged nearly 20 rebounds per game for eight seasons. Compared to the current Warriors, his defensive and rebounding prowess was magnificent. Thurmond’s 5x All-NBA defensive selections aside, Thurmond also holds the record for the most rebounds in a single quarter, 18, which he set against the Baltimore Bullets in 1965. It should be noted that Bill Russell actually topped this with 19, but this was during a post-season match.
Most Assists in One Quarter
Unlikely Floor Generals Pass for 14 assists in a single quarter If we were to guess who holds the record for the most assists in one game, John Lucas and Steve Blake wouldn’t be the first players to come to mind, but this just goes to show how talented NBA players are. These two players have achieved the incredible record of making 14 assists in a single quarter. John Lucas did this against the Denver Nuggets in 1984, while Steve Blake also equaled the record in 2009 against the LA Clippers. Considering the most assists in an entire game is 30 (set by Scott Sikes), it is surprising that this record is not higher.
Most Blocks in One Quarter
Bol, Mutombo and Dampier Hold Single Quarter Record In today’s modern NBA, the best shot blockers typically average no more than three blocks per game, but the days of dominate rim protectors and shot blockers have generally faded.
This is why no one in recent years has come close to equaling the single-quarter record of eight blocks. Three people have achieved this feat. No surprise to see Manute Bol on here, the player that had 32 points, 29 rebounds, and 31 blocks in college. Bol accomplished eight blocks in one quarter twice. Dikembe Mutombo and Erick Dampier also recorded eight blocks. This doesn’t come close to the all-time block record in one game, which stands at 17 and was set by Elmore Smith in 1973.
Most Steals in One Quarter
Underrated Fat Lever Was A Thief in 1985 Typically, the best defensive players with quick hands will average around two to three steals per game. With that in mind, the single-quarter record stands at eight steals by Fat Lever, one of the league’s most-underrated players of all time was known for his defensive prowess and triple doubles. Lever turned over his the Indiana Pacers eight times in a twelve minute span in 1985. The thing is that this single-quarter record is only three shy of the full-game record of 11, achieved by both Kendall Gill and Larry Kenon.
