Elgin Baylor Sets Playoff record with 61 Points
On April 14, 1961 – 1962: Named after his father’s gold pocket watch, Elgin Baylor makes time to set an NBA playoff record by scoring 61 points in leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 126-121 victory over the Celtics in Game 5 of the Finals in Boston Garden.
The acrobatic 6-foot-5 forward hits on 22-of-46 field-goal attempts and 17-of-19 free throws in breaking the record of 56 points that Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain had set just three weeks ago.
Michael Jordan will score 63 points in a 1986 playoff game (though he will need two overtimes), but no player has ever surpassed Baylor’s 61 points in the Finals.
Baylor’s hottest period is the first when he scores 18 points. With 15 in the second quarter, he sets a playoff mark for most points in a half at 33. He scores 28 points in the second half. His last six take the Lakers from a 116-114 deficit into a 120-117 lead.
While the win gives the Lakers a 3-2 advantage in the series, the Celtics will come back to win Game 6 in L.A. and Game 7 in Boston to capture their fourth consecutive title.
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