Caron Butler and Sam Cassell circa 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Milwaukee Bucks forward Caron Butler on November 22 against the Philadelphia 76ers scored 38 points, two short of his career mark. What makes the 33-year-old Butler’s game also noteworthy is that he became only the second Bucks player in team history to score 35 or more points in a game at age 33 or older. The other Bucks player to score 35-plus at age 33 or older was Sam Cassell, who on December 9, 2002 at age 33 scored 39 points in a game versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Butler was the second player to accomplish this feat in the NBA this season. Just two days prior to Butler’s 38-point game, 35-year-old Dirk Nowitzki matched his age with 35 points in a contest against the Rockets. It was Nowitzki’s fifth career game with 35-plus points since he turned 33 years of age.

A player 33 years of age or older scoring 35-plus points in a game has happened 548 times. As you might expect, the player with the most games is Michael Jordan. He had 82 such games in his career. Following are the 16 players who have accumulated 10 or more career games with 35 or more points at age 33 or older.

82: Michael Jordan
38: Karl Malone
30: Kobe Bryant
30: Dominique Wilkins
29: Alex English
26: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
24: Bernard King
23: Elgin Baylor
18: Hakeem Olajuwon
16: Larry Bird
16: Jerry West
13: Rick Barry
12: Wilt Chamberlain
12: Patrick Ewing
11: Sam Jones
10: Elvin Hayes

Karl Malone holds the record for most points scored by a player age 33 or older. He had 56 in a game on April 7, 1998. Jordan holds the mark for most points in a playoff game by a player 33 years old; he had 55 in an April 27, 1997 contest.

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