5. Elgin Baylor Only 60-Point NBA Finals Game
The NBA is constantly in flux: players are getting better, coaches are getting smarter, records are always being broken. So, when you have a record from 1962 that still stands to this day, in a league filled with players the likes of Stephen Curry, Lebron James and Kevin Durant, you know you have doing something right.
To this day, Lakers’ legend Elgin Baylor still holds the NBA record for the most points scored in an NBA Finals game with 61. At the time, this also held the record for most points scored in a playoff game, a record which was later broken by Michael Jordan in 1986 when he dropped 63 points on the Larry Bird led Boston Celtics.
Additionally, if 61 points was not enough, Baylor also added 21 rebounds to pad his stellar statline.
During that playoff run, Baylor averaged 38.6 points and 17.7 rebounds on 44 percent shooting, which is still one of the most impressive playoff statlines in NBA history, though Lebron James gave him a run for his money last postseason averaging 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Despite Baylor’s best efforts, the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Boston Celtics in seven games. This was a familiar story for the Lakers until Kareem and company ended the Celtics curse in 1985.
Next: Jerry West Wins Finals MVP, in a Loss