Former NBA player: Kobe mastered the formula for high scoring; if he wanted, he could score at least 120 points in a single game.

On March 13 Beijing time, Adebayo's incredible 83 points surpassed Kobe's 81 points, becoming the second-highest single-game scoring performance in NBA history. The public reaction was mostly shock and awe. However, former NBA player Rashad McCants believes that behind this seemingly insane performance lies an old-school scoring methodology. We can all agree: all records will eventually be broken.

No one thought a team could surpass 72 wins and 10 losses until we saw 73 wins and 9 losses; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record seemed unbreakable for decades until LeBron surpassed it late in his career. Kobe's 81 points being surpassed was only a matter of time, but Adebayo was definitely not the player fans and experts would have bet on.

In recent seasons, players like Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, and Donovan Mitchell have all scored 70+ points. Although none of them broke the 81-point record, they share a common trait: they are all recognized elite scorers.

Adebayo, however, has always been most famous for his defensive abilities. Even so, we witnessed Adebayo dominating each quarter of the game.

McCants closely watched the Heat star's performance and stated that he grasped the secret to high-scoring games.

“Score steadily in each quarter, without relying on three-pointers or free throws, and you can consistently rack up points. Playing this way, I could also score 81 points,” McCants said on the “OuttheMud” podcast. This statement spread widely on social media, with many criticizing McCants for being too casual and exaggerated. However, American media believes his viewpoint becomes more reasonable upon deeper reflection.

In an exclusive interview with TheSportsRush reporter Nickom Khan, McCants insisted on his scoring theory. “There is a formula,” McCants asserted. “Especially regarding scoring by quarters, stopping the clock, shooting threes, etc. Kobe also understood this formula. If he wanted, he could definitely score at least 120, 130 points in a single game.”

At first glance, even for Kobe, scoring 20 points per quarter is difficult, let alone 30. But consider this calculation: 3 layups + 2 three-pointers + 4 free throws equals 16 points.

With this calculation, the math becomes much simpler. Of course, top defensive teams would make such high scoring difficult for players like Adebayo and Kobe.

But there will always be games where such opportunities arise, and McCants does not blame Adebayo. “Adebayo seized the opportunity, achieved the surpassing, and etched his name into history,” McCants added.

People originally thought surpassing Kobe's 81 points would take much longer, but clearly, we were all wrong. Perhaps the day someone challenges the single-game 100-point mark again is closer than we imagined.