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The 7 most amazing stats from LeBron James' greatest game ever

Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

On Monday, LeBron James scored a career-high 61 points to lead the Miami Heat to a 124-107 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. Not only was it James’ first 60-point game, it was also a Heat franchise record (Glen Rice had 56 on April 15, 1995) and the second-highest individual scoring game of the season, behind only Carmelo Anthony’s 62-point game.

Here are the most mind-boggling numbers from James’ career night:

1. This is LeBron’s first 50-point game at home.

James has scored at least 50 points 10 times in his career — eight with the Cleveland Cavaliers and two with the Heat, including this one. This is the first time he’s done it at home. Whenever he went off like this in the past, it was always in front of a crowd of people rooting against him.

2. LeBron made the most threes of any 50-point game ever.

James set a new career high in made three-pointers, shooting 8-for-10 from long range. This is tied for the most threes made in a 50-point game, along with Kobe Bryant’s 8-for-12 in a 65-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007. And James didn’t miss one until the game was well in hand, shooting 8-for-8 through the first three quarters of the game.

3. This is just LeBron’s second 20-basket game.

James shot 22-for-33 against the Bobcats, marking only the second time in his career that he’s made at least 20 baskets in a game. He shot 20-for-30 in a 49-point performance against the Orlando Magic during the 2009 playoffs.

4. He broke the Heat’s record for points in a quarter.

James scored 25 points in the third quarter of the game, breaking his own team record of 24 points in a quarter. At this point, it’s only his own records he’s breaking.

5. Like everyone else, he did it against the Bobcats.

The Bobcats just cannot catch a break.

And they have the seventh-best defense in the NBA this season, according to NBA.com’s stats tool.

6. James had one of the most efficient 60-point games ever.

Shooting 22-for-33 from the field gave James a field-goal percentage of 66.7%. Only three 60-point games since 1985 have come on more efficient shooting, per Basketball Reference. Karl Malone shot 80.8% in a 61-point performance in 1990. Tom Chambers shot 68.8% while scoring 60 the same year. Shaquille O’Neal scored 60 on 68.6% shooting in 2000. Those are the only more efficient 60-point games than LeBron.

7. He still had 5 assists.

When Anthony had 62 points in January, he had zero assists. James had five. He has better teammates, but even when he’s staying in the game in a blowout and gunning for an individual record, he still gets those teammates involved.

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