Shaquille O'Neal's Career-High Against Every NBA Team: Shaq Destroyed The Clippers With 61 Points On His Birthday

Date: May 8, 1996

Stats: 41 Points, 13 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block

When O’Neal played the Hawks, there was no Dominique Wilkins on the team anymore. Either way, Wilkins would have been an older player, while O’Neal was transitioning towards his prime seasons. It would not have been a hard matchup. Regardless, O’Neal had whatever he wanted in the middle with 41 points and 13 rebounds. It was even better that it came in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Boston Celtics - 48 Points

Date: March 21, 2003

Stats: 48 Points, 20 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 1 Steal, 1 Block

After the game, O’Neal credited his teammates for throwing lob passes that were easy for him to throw down. O’Neal shot 19 of 24 from the field and could have hit at least 50 points if he made his free throws. He was 10 of 19 at the line. O’Neal was credited for overpowering both Tony Battie and Mark Blount. O’Neal weighed 100 pounds more than the 6-foot-11 Battie and 90 pounds more than the 7-footer Blount.

Brooklyn Nets - 50 Points

Date: April 2, 1998

Stats: 50 Points, 9 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 1 Steal, 1 Block

O’Neal shot 18 for 26 from the field to dominate the post. The Nets were overmatched as O’Neal powered past Rony Seikaly. Defensively, O’Neal held Seikaly to eight points on two of five shooting, which limited him to just 17 minutes of action. Despite running through the Nets in the 2002 NBA Finals, this was his best overall performance.

Charlotte Hornets - 46 Points

Date: November 9, 1994

Stats: 46 Points, 20 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 Steal, 3 Blocks

O’Neal made 20 field goals in this game to lead to his 46-point effort. He added 20 rebounds as well in a game that saw all-time defensive standout Alonzo Mourning standing in the middle. Not too many people have ever made Mourning look that bad in the post. O’Neal can say that he is one of those people.

Chicago Bulls - 41 Points

Date: November 19, 1999

Stats: 41 Points, 17 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 1 Steal, 7 Blocks

The one time that O’Neal scored 41 points against the Bulls was also the one time he was hitting his free throws. O’Neal made 19 of 31 free throws at the line to lead the Lakers to a victory over the Bulls. At the time, these were the most free throws that O’Neal had ever hit in a game.

Cleveland Cavaliers - 39 Points

Date: April 9, 1996

Stats: 39 Points, 13 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block

You can’t get that much more efficient than O’Neal on this night. O’Neal made 15 of his 18 field goals at the line. He also made 9 of 13 free throws at the line. This was by far one of the most efficient nights of his career as he led the Magic to a win over the Cavaliers. Cavaliers center Michael Cage played just 18 minutes and scored three points for the opposition.

Dallas Mavericks - 46 Points

Date: December 5, 2001

Stats: 46 Points, 15 Rebounds, 2 Assist, 1 Steal, 1 Block

O’Neal credited Mavericks owner Mark Cuban for motivating him after the game. Earlier in the season, Cuban said that referees should watch O’Neal closely when he shoots free throws because O’Neal supposedly stepped over the line too soon. Instead, O’Neal pounded 46 points with 10 of 22 shooting at the charity stripe, while making 18 of 23 field goals.

Denver Nuggets - 40 Points

Date: January 22, 2002

Stats: 40 Points, 11 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 1 Steal, 2 Blocks

Date: March 13, 2000

Stats: 40 Points, 9 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block

The first time that O’Neal scored 40 points against the Nuggets he was dealing with a hamstring injury. After the game, O’Neal credited himself for having the heart and passion to play through the injury. The other time he scored 40 was when he was fresh off a three-game suspension. Denver, who was 3-16 in road games at the time, was once again no match on the road.

Detroit Pistons - 46 Points

Date: February 16, 1993

Stats: 46 Points, 21 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 5 Blocks

The Pistons had Dennis Rodman for the first time in a month after he was out with a calf injury. Despite the extra defensive hands, O’Neal powered his way for 46 points and 21 rebounds. At one point, O’Neal was sighted for his rookie jitters, missing four straight free throws in overtime, which included a missed free throw with 5.1 seconds to help it go to overtime. The Magic eventually lost the game.

Golden State Warriors - 49 Points

Date: April 5, 2000

Stats: 49 Points, 13 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 0 Steals, 3 Blocks

O’Neal scored 33 points in the second half on his way to shooting 19 of 27 from the field. That included 11 of 16 at the free-throw line. It made up for the poor shooting night of Kobe Bryant, who shot 5 of 14 from the field with 16 points. The Lakers had won their 11th game at the time, as well as their 30th win in 31 games.

Houston Rockets - 41 Points

Date: January 19, 2001

Stats: 41 Points, 11 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block

The Rockets were decimated in a short time. O’Neal scored 41 points despite playing just 31 minutes. The Lakers were able to blow the game open in the third quarter as O’Neal finished 17 of 23 from the field. O’Neal shot just 7 of 18 at the free-throw line though. Olajuwon, who left for the Raptors before the season, was not in the rotation to stop O’Neal.

Indiana Pacers - 49 Points

Date: December 9, 1993

Stats: 49 Points, 11 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 2 Steals, 0 Blocks

O’Neal was relentless at attacking the basket. He finished the night shooting 17 of 25 from the line while connecting on 15 of 18 free throws at the line. The Pacers would win the game though. Later in the season, the two teams would meet again and the Pacers would sweep the Magic in the first round.

Los Angeles Clippers - 61 Points

Date: March 6, 2000

Stats: 61 Points, 23 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Blocks

The 61 points scored against the Clippers remain the highest scored total by O’Neal in his career. It is also the only time in his career that he scored at least 60 points or higher. O’Neal finished the game shooting 24 of 35 from the line. The 35 shots were more than the combined shot totals from both Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice, who combined for 26 shots.

Los Angeles Lakers - 46 Points

Date: March 8, 1995

Stats: 46 Points, 11 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 1 Steal, 5 Blocks

The Magic used a pair of late free throws by O’Neal with 4.6 seconds on the clock to power their way past the Lakers 114-110. O’Neal was a 55% free throw shooter at the time and said that all he did was just “put them up and they went in.” O’Neal scored 28 points in the first half and shot 20 of 26 from the field.

Memphis Grizzlies - 35 Points

Date: April 19, 1999

Stats: 35 Points, 9 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block

The Lakers blew away the Grizzlies 117-102 at the Staples Center with O’Neal leading the way. He made 15 of 25 shots and made five of nine free throws as well. The 35 points from O’Neal, as well as the combined 35 points from Bryant and Rice, made up for the zero points by Derek Fisher.

Miami Heat - 42 Points

Date: November 5, 1993

Stats: 42 Points, 12 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 1 Steal, 1 Block

O’Neal was just a rookie at the time but the 21-year-old looked like a veteran. O’Neal made 17 of 24 baskets from the floor. That included 12 rebounds to cap the double-double. The moment was even more special as it was the first game of the season, where he led the Magic, who made him the No. 1 overall pick that summer, to the win.

Milwaukee Bucks - 41 Points

Date: December 18, 1996

Stats: 41 Points, 13 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 2 Steals, 3 Blocks

O’Neal scored 41 points by making 15 of his 25 shots while making 11 of 16 shots at the foul line. It helped the Lakers overcome 42 points from Glenn Robinson. The back and forth resulted in the Lakers winning 111-105.

Minnesota Timberwolves - 53 Points

Date: April 20, 1994

Stats: 53 Points, 18 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 2 Steals, 2 Blocks

In 39 minutes of action, O’Neal made 22 of 31 field goals and 9 of 13 shots at the free-throw line. At the time, this was a career-high for O’Neal for many years. He also grabbed 18 rebounds against his college nemesis Christian Laettner. At the time, there was a lot of controversy about Laettner making the Dream Team over O’Neal.

New Orleans Pelicans - 34 Points

Date: April 2, 2005

Stats: 34 Points, 15 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 Steal, 1 Block

With Dwyane Wade by his side, the combination scored 67 points to lead the Heat past the Pelicans, who were named the Hornets at the time. The two combined for many dunks in the game as well. Before the game, the two were averaging a combined 47.1 points per game.

New York Knicks - 43 Points

Date: March 19, 2000

Stats: 43 Points, 10 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Blocks

In a matchup between two Hall of Fame centers, O’Neal got the best of Patrick Ewing. O’Neal used the game to move past Allen Iverson in the scoring race, which he ultimately won at the end of the season. He also scored just six points on dunks. It was also the third time that O’Neal scored at least 40 points in three games.

Oklahoma City Thunder - 44 Points

Date: February 13, 1998

Stats: 44 Points, 12 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 3 Steals, 3 Blocks

O’Neal finished the game shooting 19 of 29 from the field and 6 of 12 at the free-throw line. Despite O’Neal scoring 44 points, the SuperSonics came through with the 113-108 victory. It took 33 points from Vin Baker and 30 points from Gary Payton. The next highest scorer for the Lakers was Kobe Bryant and Robert Horry with 15 points each.

Orlando Magic - 39 Points

Date: February 18, 2000

Stats: 39 Points, 16 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 1 Steal, 3 Blocks

Facing the team that drafted him No. 1 overall, O’Neal let Magic fans remember why they took him. O’Neal scored 39 points on a night where Bryant could only muster 11 himself. O’Neal shot 15 of 22 from the field and 9 of 13 from the free-throw line. The Lakers won the game 107-99.

Philadelphia 76ers - 44 Points

Date: June 6, 2001

Stats: 44 Points, 20 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 1 Steal, 0 Blocks

The Lakers were playing the 76ers in the NBA Finals. MVP Allen Iverson had the city believing they could knock off the defending champion Lakers. O’Neal had an exceptional game with 44 points and 20 rebounds, but Iverson’s 48 points led the 76ers to take the 107-101 win in overtime. Nonetheless, the Lakers would win the Finals with O’Neal winning Finals MVP.

Phoenix Suns - 40 Points

Date: March 24, 2000

Stats: 40 Points, 14 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 3 Steals, 0 Blocks

O’Neal shot 15 of 29 from the field to score 40 points. With 28 points from Kobe Bryant, the Suns did not have a shot of taking this game but kept it close after falling 108-101.

Portland Trail Blazers - 46 Points

Date: April 25, 1997

Stats: 46 Points, 11 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 1 Steal, 2 Blocks

At one point in this game, O’Neal had 39 of the team’s 80 points. He was truly the go-to man as the Lakers were able to dominate the Trail Blazers. The Los Angeles Times called O’Neal a gigantic Magic Johnson for his ability to get up and down the floor. The Lakers ended up winning the game 95-77.

Sacramento Kings - 46 Points

Date: April 23, 2000

Stats: 46 Points, 17 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 2 Steals, 5 Blocks

The first round of the 2000 NBA playoffs belonged to O’Neal’s Lakers. O’Neal powered the Lakers to a Game 1 victory with 46 points and 17 rebounds. The following game featured a sensational game from Kobe Bryant and the Lakers began their first run at winning an NBA championship.

San Antonio Spurs - 36 Points

Date: December 1, 2000

Stats: 36 Points, 16 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 1 Steal, 3 Blocks

Against a skilled big man, O’Neal was kept in check with Tim Duncan and David Robinson patrolling the Spurs during the 90s and 2000s. That is why O’Neal’s best game was 36 points, which is one of the lower totals on the list. With that said, O’Neal shot 15 of 23 from the field to lead the Lakers to a 109-100 win against San Antonio.

Toronto Raptors - 45 Points

Date: February 27, 2009

Stats: 45 Points, 11 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 3 Steals, 1 Block

O’Neal was in the latter stages of his career, but he had enough in the tank to take us back to the vintage days. O’Neal was a week away from turning 37 years old and told the press after the game that he could score this much each night if the Suns players got him the ball enough. O’Neal made 20 of 25 shots to give him his 49th career game with at least 40 points. It was the most points scored since March 21, 2003.

Utah Jazz - 39 Points

Date: November 24, 1999

Stats: 39 Points, 18 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 1 Steal, 3 Blocks

In a regular-season battle between O’Neal and Karl Malone, the Lakers came out just ahead with a 90-82 victory. O’Neal bested Malone with 39 points and 18 rebounds in comparison to Malone’s 22 points and 12 rebounds. O’Neal made 14 of his 24 shots, but just 11 of 20 shots at the free-throw line.

Washington Wizards - 40 Points

Date: December 13, 2004

Stats: 40 Points, 12 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 5 Blocks

Date: March 23, 2001

Stats: 40 Points, 17 Rebounds, 8 Assists, 3 Steals, 5 Blocks

Date: March 16, 2000

Stats: 40 Points, 12 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 0 Steals, 2 Blocks

There were three times that O’Neal put up 40 points against the Wizards. The first time came in a 109-102 loss as Mitch Richmond paced the Wizards with 32 points. The second time the Lakers won 104-91 with O’Neals best overall performance against Washington. The last time he scored 40 points was a blowout 106-83 win when he played with Christian Laettner as a member of the Heat. O’Neal probably had some Dream Team comments after this one to his teammate. 

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