A BB thought experiment I find... interesting. Maybe you do, too.

[dhsilv2]

Not if he's playing a top defense though.

He had 44 and 42 on OKC in the playoffs this year.

Cool, how was the rest of the series?

(Genuinely asking, I don't remember)

Hit and miss. Was very much OKC did something that worked. Jokic countered. OKC countered the counter.

[Iwasawitness]

He had 44 and 42 on OKC in the playoffs this year.

Cool, how was the rest of the series?

(Genuinely asking, I don't remember)

Did the OP ask if the player could average 50 in a series? Thought it was just one game, so why would the series matter?

Because if he didn't manage a single 50 point game, and in fact played below his normal standards, that doesn't bode well for him.

[Rubios]

(OP) In fact, given that scenario, we could reframe the question to:

"What's the most productive (TS%) scoring pattern a player can create for himself under tough, elite defense conditions?"
The other team defends as if it's a PS Game 7.

Remember the rest of your team are cans. So, even if the opponent is winning comfortably, if Curry i.e. gets 30 at halftime and the rest of your team is not a thread, he will have a guy on him as soon as he passes half court.

Is it a deep 3 from Curry, being a step-back or after getting rid of his defender with his handles?

Is it low post game from a very efficient 7 footer (easier to get him the ball)? So Jokic or a hypothetical fully healthy Embiid.

Is it a middle range sniper like KD or a peak Kawhi on a perfect night?

Or is it a "fook you I'm scoring no matter what" like Luka or Donovan? I don't trust Booker anymore, sorry, but you could.

[NoStatsGuy]

who on the thunder stops melo? he scored 50 vs the heat in 3 quarters on just jumpshots. noone can get as hot as carmlo anthony. and op said my player is red hot. if you chose someone other than KD or Melo you are crazy.. these guys give you 50 in no time vs anybody

[Optms]

Curry.

Easy choice.

[azcatz11]

Pelle Larsson

[Statlanta]

Anthony Edwards.

You need a guy with the will and skill.

Most of the top 5 have the skill but not the will.

He might not have the resume of a Curry but I don't have to worry about Curry breaking down and getting injured on his way to 50.

[Lalouie]

embiid or jokic or embiid or kd

cuz they're tall and big

you give any team some time they will lock down anyone cuz they can shadow your guy and make him real uncomfortable. but big is big

[Rubios]

Curry.

Easy choice.

(OP) I'm starting to believe the "thought experiment" is not that interesting (or interesting at all) because it might be quite obvious:
The best 3pt shooter of all times with great handles to get rid of the guy on him.

I'm just intrigued to see someone as absurdly efficient like Joker play a "I'm taking the shots tonight" game.
His TS% and PPG last season are pretty much identical to Curry's unanimous MVP season.
But Curry's efficiency regresses a tad more on PS.

And then there's Luka, who has the highest TS% for any +56 game of all times. And it's his 73 with 91.2%
But from 55 to 56, it's Curry with 92.5% and we're looking for 50, so...
At exactly 50, Kyrie is #1 and #4 all time. But he was not the main man of the Nets, doesn't apply IMO. From there up to 54 is Van Vleet, anecdotical.

[Rubios]

Anthony Edwards.

You need a guy with the will and skill.

Most of the top 5 have the skill but not the will.

He might not have the resume of a Curry but I don't have to worry about Curry breaking down and getting injured on his way to 50.

AD has 2 games over 50. Highest is 53. Risky, at least.

[iggymcfrack]

It has to be SGA for current guys. He had 4 50 point games last season. No one else in the league had more than 1. He's clearly the best scorer in the league and he's also the best at being able to get something against any defense.

[brackdan70]

If you just need to get to 50 points and ignore all other aspects of the game, might go with Payton Pritchard and start chucking.

[Tim Lehrbach]

Imagine you, as a head coach, are about to face the best defense in the League.
From the recent era. Could be current OKC, Spurs, GSW... you name it.

Your team consists of a bunch of cans, but you can choose ONE player, any player, from the current NBA roster. You could "clone" a player from the opposite team, even.

If your guy scores 50, you win the game.
And let's assume your guy is red hot that given night.

Who do you pick?

What does "a bunch of cans" mean?

[Crazy-Canuck]

If it is a given that the guy is red hot, I might take klay Thompson.

[NoStatsGuy]

If it is a given that the guy is red hot, I might take klay Thompson.

thought about klay aswell honestly.

but klay thompson and a bunch of cans cant scrore 50 on the thunder defense. (thats the premise of op)

no jokic, no curry, no giannis.. these are all wrong answers. gannis cant shoot, curry is too small vs OKC defense and jokic i dont know, he could maybe do it. but i dont see him creating for himself like others do, so im not sure. these are all the best players no doubt and surely players you would pick to win a series or a ring.

but it has to be a a player that can create by himself and doesnt need his team. the only goal is to score 50, you dont need to be ahead in score, you dont need to defend, you dont need the best TS% or any other advanced stats.

this is not a complicated question. which player can score 50 (while red hot) the fastest on the current elite defense? As i stated above in a previous post. its gotta be melo or KD. these guys give you 50 on anybody and they do it quick (when they are hot). they can shoot over anybody, can drive and finish, shoot high% FTs and can score on all levels. and again, i understand these are not the players you wanna pick to win a series or build a championship team around. the only goal is scoring 50 asap, nothing else. the only exception for a limited scorer i would make is lebron, because prime lebron could run to the rim and dunk over anybody every play, if he wanted.

i like this thought experiment, its kinda interesting for a day

[Statlanta]

Imagine you, as a head coach, are about to face the best defense in the League.
From the recent era. Could be current OKC, Spurs, GSW... you name it.

Your team consists of a bunch of cans, but you can choose ONE player, any player, from the current NBA roster. You could "clone" a player from the opposite team, even.

If your guy scores 50, you win the game.
And let's assume your guy is red hot that given night.

Who do you pick?

What does "a bunch of cans" mean?

I assume a bunch of NBA journeymen or G-League talent. I don't think he goes so low to include RealGM posters.

[Lalouie]

you want consistency

over the past 5years, the same names keep popping up in most 30+, 40+, and 50+ games (and prolly per season would not be a stretch)

giannis, embiid, curry,,,,,,,and luka leads them all in EACH ppg category(30/40/50) i think he's bigger than anyone guarding him and he's too smart getting the ball off for anyone to "athletically" stop

[Rubios]

(OP again)

In short, the question in a vacuum would be:
"What's the most productive (TS%) scoring pattern a player can create for himself under tough, elite defense conditions? And who is the best at executing it?"

The "thought experiment" is a construct to simulate a scenario.
And I need to refine it: you have the worst roster in the NBA, facing in the Finals' Game 7 the best defensive team in recent memory (current OKC, peak GSW, Spurs... you name it). Why is this happening? Because it's a (my) thought experiment.

You can choose ONE player. You can even clone him from the opposing team. And that night he's on fire*.
*That means he's physically fresh and healthy, in his best moment of the season, and "arrow pointing up". It doesn't mean you can count on him having the absolute best game of his life.

If your guy scores 50, you automatically win. Your team knows it, the other doesn't.

For whatever reason, this Game 7 is being razor close. This is important because if the game were not this close, the other team might think "let the guy score his 70, whatever".
But, in the last three minutes, the "curse" is broken and the other team starts playing like themselves.

So your team will most likely lose the game.
Scoring 50 against a historic defense without a Jamal Murray, a Kyrie or even a Kevin Love is a colossal task.
But the opposing defense can't just throw five men at him because, after all, the other four are NBA players.

It's a Hail Mary. Who's yours? Guy could time travel from the last, let's say, 5 years.

1. Curry = Luka. Can't decide.
2. Lillard
3. Sniper mode KD
4. Jokic*
5. Sniper mode Kawhi

*I think I've never seen Jokic play with a scoring mindset. Maybe he just doesn't know how to. But given his shooting range, efficiency and how little it drops in PS... maybe he's fine at #4, maybe he could be my 1st choice.

[Rubios]

If you could pick prime LeBron (you can pick the year), would he be your choice?
Reminder: defense is not a factor, LBJ would need to score 50.

[JM00n69]

That dude from PHX with the red cheeks..What's his name again?