April 29 (UPI) -- Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 50 points in Thursday night's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, becoming the fourth-youngest player to reach that total in a single game.
Porter also notched 11 assists in the Rockets' 143-136 win over the Bucks, as he surpassed LeBron James as the youngest player ever to log a 50-point double-double with assists. Porter's stellar outing helped Houston snap its five-game losing streak.
The 20-year-old Porter topped his previous career best of 30 points in the second half alone, scoring 32 -- including 17 in the fourth quarter.
Porter sank nine 3-pointers on only 15 attempts in the Rockets' victory. He joined Brandon Jennings, Devin Booker and James as the only players in NBA history to score 50 points in a game before turning 21.
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"After I saw the third [3-pointer] go down, I knew it was going to be a special night," said Porter, who noted that it was his first 50-point game since he was in fourth grade. "It was all up to me. I just stayed aggressive, and it was a good night."
The breakout performance came just one day after the NBA fined Porter $50,000 for violating its COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
The NBA said in a statement that Porter violated the league's rules against attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people and entering bars and similar establishments when he went to a Miami club on April 19.
Porter, who has averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 assists this season, also missed three games due to the league's protocols after the violation.
