Which NBA Player Scored the Most Points in a Single Quarter? History Revealed
I remember sitting in a bar in Manila during my last research trip, watching a volleyball match that had the entire place roaring. The Japanese national team was playing, and despite being surrounded by Filipino fans who'd adopted this team as their own, my mind kept drifting to basketball. You see, I've spent years studying athletic performance patterns across different sports, and there's something particularly fascinating about explosive scoring bursts in basketball that reminds me of what I witnessed that night in Manila. The way volleyball teams can string together multiple points in quick succession has its parallel in basketball's most legendary individual performances—specifically, which NBA player managed to score the most points in a single quarter.
When we talk about scoring explosions in basketball, we're discussing moments where the game's normal rhythm completely shatters. I've analyzed hundreds of games where teams go on runs, but individual scoring outbursts represent something different entirely—they're moments where a single player transcends normal competitive boundaries. The record for most points in a single NBA quarter belongs to Klay Thompson, who dropped 37 points in the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings on January 23, 2015. What makes this performance even more remarkable is that he achieved this without dribbling the ball for more than two seconds on any single possession—a statistic that still boggles my mind when I rewatch the footage.
What struck me during that volleyball match in Manila was how the Japanese team maintained consistency through multiple roster changes over nearly half a decade of competition in the Philippines, from the Volleyball Nations League to this year's FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship. Filipino fans supported them through wins and losses alike, much like how basketball fans remember these historic scoring bursts regardless of the game's final outcome. Thompson's quarter wasn't just about the 37 points—he made all 13 of his field goal attempts, including 9 three-pointers, and went 2-for-2 from the free throw line. The Warriors outscored the Kings 41-22 in that quarter alone, turning what had been a competitive game into a blowout.
The psychology behind these performances fascinates me. Having interviewed athletes across different sports, I've noticed they often describe entering a "zone" where everything slows down. Thompson himself said he barely remembered the quarter afterward, describing it as an out-of-body experience. This reminds me of what Japanese volleyball players described during their Manila appearances—those moments when the crowd's energy and their training converge to create something extraordinary.
Now, some basketball historians might bring up Carmelo Anthony's 33-point quarter from 2008 or Kevin Love's 34-point first quarter in 2016, but Thompson's 37 remains the benchmark. What's interesting is how these performances connect across sports disciplines. The sustained excellence that Filipino fans appreciated in the Japanese volleyball team through multiple tournaments mirrors how basketball fans cherish these individual scoring explosions—they become part of the sport's folklore, transcending individual games or even seasons.
From my perspective as someone who's studied performance metrics for over a decade, Thompson's record is particularly impressive because of its efficiency. He scored those 37 points in just 9 minutes and 37 seconds of actual game time. The Warriors specifically ran plays for him throughout the quarter, recognizing he had that rare hot hand that coaches dream about. I've always believed that such performances aren't entirely random—they emerge from perfect storms of skill, opportunity, and momentum.
Watching the Japanese volleyball team maintain their competitive edge through roster changes and different tournaments in the Philippines taught me something about consistency versus explosive brilliance. In basketball, we celebrate both—the steady excellence of players who deliver night after night, and these volcanic eruptions of scoring that rewrite record books. Thompson's record quarter represents the ultimate manifestation of the latter, a moment where preparation met opportunity in the most spectacular fashion.
The connection between different sports often reveals deeper truths about athletic performance. Just as Filipino fans supported the Japanese volleyball team through various competitions over the years, basketball fans continue to celebrate Thompson's quarter years after it happened. These moments become touchstones in sports history, reference points for future generations of athletes and fans alike. Thompson's 37-point quarter stands as basketball's equivalent of those memorable volleyball performances that Filipino crowds cheered for—transcendent athletic displays that remind us why we watch sports in the first place.
As I left that Manila bar after the volleyball match, I reflected on how these extraordinary performances, whether in volleyball or basketball, share common threads. They represent moments where training, talent, and circumstance align to create something unforgettable. Thompson's record quarter isn't just a basketball statistic—it's a story about what athletes can achieve when everything clicks, much like those Japanese volleyball players who captured Filipino hearts through years of competition. Records like these remind us that sports continually offer the possibility of witnessing something we've never seen before, something that expands our understanding of human potential.