5 oldest players to score 30 points in an NBA Finals game
Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals saw Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul showcase his basketball wizardry, as he scored 32 points to lead his team to a 118-105 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks. In doing so, Paul became one of the oldest players to score 30 or more points in an NBA Finals game.
His tally of 32 points is also one of the highest scored by a player on his NBA Finals debut. The Suns guard also became just the third player aged 36 or older to score 30+ points in the championship round.
Legendary performances by seasoned veterans in NBA Finals
Paul’s performance brought to the fore notable scoring feats of a few other greats of the game in the NBA Finals. It also makes one wonder what his place would be on the list of oldest players to score 30 or more points in an NBA Finals game.
The info below is based on data provided by StatHead Basketball. The list has one player dominating the top five and another appearing more than once in the top ten. In case of multiple appearances, the latest achievement of the player has been considered.
#5 Elgin Baylor (35 years, 227 days)
The 1970 NBA Finals provided Elgin Baylor with another opportunity to win the championship. The LA Lakers were playing the New York Knicks for the first time in the Finals after losing many times to the Boston Celtics during the previous decade.
In Game 4, the 35-year-old Baylor submitted his best performance of the Finals that year. Held to just 13 points in the previous two games, the Lakers legend exploded for 30 points on 12-of-24 shooting and snared 13 rebounds in 45 minutes of action.
Thanks to Elgin Baylor’s performance, the Purple and Gold tied the NBA Finals series at two wins apiece with a 121-115 victory. Unfortunately, the Knicks won two of the next three games to stop Baylor from winning his first championship.
#4 LeBron James (35 years, 284 days)
LeBron James was 35 years old when he won his fourth NBA championship last year. In Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals, James erupted for 40 points on 15-of-21 shooting from the field, including six of nine from the 3-point range.
It looked as though the four-time MVP was going to finish off the Miami Heat all by himself when he took over the game, with the Lakers needing one more win to secure the 2020 title.
But Jimmy Butler almost matched James point for point with a 35-point triple-double performance that negated James’ best game of the series. The LA Lakers fell to the Heat, 108-111.
Despite the loss, James and the Lakers would get the better of Butler and company with a 106-93 victory in Game 6 to capture the franchise’s 17th NBA championship.