Lloyd Walton tallied a team-high 9 of the Bucks’ 53 assists in a Dec. 26, 1978 win over Detroit.
The 1978-79 Milwaukee Bucks hold the record for the most assists in an NBA game with 53 in a 143-84 win over the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 26, 1978. Milwaukee shot 65-of-107 from the floor, and 81.5% of its field goals were assisted. Lloyd Walton led the team with nine assists, and four other Bucks tallied 5+ helpers: Brian Winters (8), Quinn Buckner (7), Kevin Restani (6) and Ernie Grunfeld (6).
Entering the 2024-25 season, only 11 teams in NBA history have tallied 50 or more assists in a regular-season game, and only six teams have eclipsed the half-century mark.
- 53 assists: Bucks (Dec. 26, 1978) | Win vs. DET (143-84)
- 52 assists: Bulls (March 20, 1971) | Win vs. ATL (138-121)
- 52 assists: Nuggets (April 21, 1989) | Win at GS (139-121)
- 52 assists: SuperSonics (March 18, 1983) | Win vs. DEN (147-117)
- 51 assists: Suns (Feb. 2, 1979) | Win vs. SAS (133-108)
- 51 assists: Lakers (Feb. 23, 1982) | Win vs. DEN (145-129)
The Spurs are the only team to record 50 or more helpers in a Playoff game, with 51 assists in a Game 5 victory over the Nuggets in the 1983 Western Conference Semifinals. Only three other NBA teams have recorded 45+ assists in a postseason game, including the Celtics on April 28, 1990, when they scored a Playoff-record 157 points in a first-round win against the Knicks.
- 51 assists: Spurs (May 4, 1983) | WCSF Win vs. DEN (145-105)
- 46 assists: Celtics (April 28, 1990) | R1 Win vs. NYK (157-128)
- 46 assists: Bucks (March 3, 1970) | ECSF Win at PHI (156-120)
- 46 assists: Bucks (April 23, 1978) | WCSF Win vs. DEN (143-112)
