Most Assists in an NBA Game

(last updated on October 13, 2025)

In NBA circles, the most heralded single-game performances tend to be scoring outbursts. From Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game to Kobe’s 81 to the surge of 70-point performances in recent seasons, high scoring gets all the recognition. But what about the setup men? The distributors who create plays for their teammates? Here we will be recognizing the best single-game assist performances in NBA history. We’ll be looking at the single-game assist leaders among players who recorded at least 25 assists in a single game.

30

The record for most assists in NBA history in a game belongs to point guard Scott Skiles. Skiles recorded 30 assists in a game on December 30, 1990 as his Orlando Magic beat the Denver Nuggets 155-116. Just about 35 years later, this remains the most assists in a game in NBA history. Though Skiles had a relatively lengthy NBA career playing 10 seasons in the league, his 3,881 career assists place him far, far below all-time leader John Stockton’s 15,806. Still, holding the assist record for an NBA single game is a spectacular accomplishment for Skiles’ legacy.

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29

The second most assists in NBA history in a game belongs to Kevin Porter, who dished out 29 assists in a victory for his New Jersey Nets against the Houston Rockets on February 24, 1978. Porter’s then-record for assists in a game would stand for more than 12 years. Although Porter had 18 games in his career in which he tallied 20 or more assists, his 5,314 career assists place him 61st all time, and he is considered a long shot for the Hall of Fame. 

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28

It would be unthinkable to make a list counting down the single-game assist record and not mention the league’s all-time assist king. Though John Stockton does not have the record for most assists in a game, he has the third, fourth and fifth most. Stockton’s career high of 28 assists in a single game came in a 124-102 Utah Jazz victory over the San Antonio Spurs on January 15, 1991, a few weeks after Scott Skiles’ set the single-game record.

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San Francisco Warriors guard Guy Rodgers dished out 28 assists against the St. Louis Hawks on March 14, 1963. Despite Rodgers’ passing excellence and teammate Wilt Chamberlain’s 39 points and 28 rebounds, the Warriors fell to the Hawks 114-109. Rodgers would lead the league in assists during his 1962-63 All-Star season, averaging 10.4 per game. In his Hall of Fame 13-season career, Rodgers would record at least 20 assists seven total times.

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Before there was Magic and Stockton, there was Cousy. The six-time NBA champ ran point for the Boston Celtics dynasty of the late 50s and early 60s and is considered one of the first great modern point guards. The first NBA player to reach 5,000 assists, Cousy’s career high of 28 came in a high-scoring 179-139 win over the Minneapolis Lakers on February 27, 1959. Cousy’s single-game assist record would last for almost 20 years until Kevin Porter broke it in 1978.

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27

When Scott Skiles set the record for assists in a game in 1990, he broke Stockton’s then-personal record from a year prior. Stockton had 27 dimes in a game against the New York Knicks on December 19, 1989. While Stockton made history that night, the Knicks walked out of Madison Square Garden with a win, 115-107. Stockton would end the 1989-90 season as the league leader in assists with a career-high 14.5 per game. Stockton was the NBA assist leader for nine consecutive seasons between 1987-88 and 1995-96. 

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NBA journeyman Geoff Huston never made an All-Star team or led the league in assists, but he did pass for 27 in a single game on January 27, 1982. The Brooklyn native was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 1981-82 season and accomplished this feat in a 110-106 upset of the Golden State Warriors. This season would be Huston’s career best assist-wise, as he would finish the year with a per game average of 7.6 assists.

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26

John Stockton had first surpassed the 25 single-game assist mark in 1988 with 26 in a late-season contest against the Portland Trail Blazers. Stockton’s Jazz would fall short in the April 14th game 128-123. However, the two teams would face each other in the 4-5 matchup of the First Round of the Western Conference Playoffs where Stockton and the Jazz would win the series three games to one. 

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25

A number of players are tied for the fifth-most assists in a game with 25. Most recently was Rajon Rondo in 2017. Rondo dished 25 assists in a December 27th game in which his New Orleans Pelicans bested the Brooklyn Nets 128-113. This performance remains the 21st century record for assists in a game. 

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In only his second season in the NBA, future Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd tallied 25 assists for the Dallas Mavericks in a 1996 game against Stockton’s Jazz. The Mavericks would get the best of Utah in the high-scoring thriller, 136-133. That season, Kidd would make his first of 10 All-Star honors and average 9.7 assists per game.

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The Phoenix Suns put up 16 points and 25 assists in an April 1994 win against the San Antonio Spurs. Johnson was named All-NBA Second Team that season, but perhaps the higher honor is being in fifth on the single-game assist-record list. Johnson played for 13 seasons in the NBA and averaged 9.1 assists per game.

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Seattle SuperSonics’ rookie guard Nate McMillan recorded 25 assists in a single game in a 124-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in February 1987. This was McMillan’s rookie year, placing him in company with Ernie DiGregorio for the most assists in a game by a rookie. McMillan also had more assists than the entire Clippers team, who had 24. The Clippers’ leading assist man in this game was Larry Drew, who had eight. 

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In a February 1985 game against the Dallas Mavericks, future Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas dropped 25 assists for the Detroit Pistons. Thomas would be named an All-NBA point guard and lead the league in assists per game that year, with his career high of 13.9. Thomas is top 10 all time among NBA career assists leaders with 9,061. He is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2000.

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The man who has the second most assists in a game all time with 29, also passed for 25 assists on two separate occasions in the spring of 1979. On March 9th, Porter’s Pistons walloped the Celtics 160-119 in a game where he would also score 30 points himself. Less than a month later on April 1st, Porter would reach the 25-assist mark again in a game against the Phoenix Suns. The Suns however would get the W, 116-105.

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In his first season in the NBA, soon-to-be Rookie of the Year Ernie DiGregorio dished 25 assists for the Buffalo Braves in a thrilling 120-119 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on January 1, 1974. This remains the rookie record for most assists in a game, an honor DiGregorio shares with Nate McMillan. 

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 13th, 2024 at 10:20 pm and is filed under Top 10 Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.