A researched consensus introduction to Elgin Baylor's defining games.
Editorial methodology and sources
Cross-checked NBA and Lakers historical profiles, official box scores, season reviews, Finals record summaries, major-media retrospectives, and recurring fan memory. Baylor's two universal record games anchor the list; Finals stakes, rebounding dominance, career-stage representation, and the historical meaning of his early aerial style determine the remaining order.
- #1. Baylor set the still-standing NBA Finals scoring record with 61 points and added 22 rebounds in Boston Garden, giving Los Angeles a 3–2 series lead over the Celtics. NBA: Baylor's 61-point Finals masterpiece · Lakers alumni profile: Elgin Baylor
- #2. Baylor established the league scoring record then in force with 71 points and also grabbed 25 rebounds in a 15-point road victory at Madison Square Garden. NBA: Legends profile—Elgin Baylor · Lakers: The statue-worthy legacy of Elgin Baylor
- #3. Four days after his 61-point eruption, Baylor played 51 minutes and amassed 41 points and 22 rebounds in the overtime 1962 Finals Game 7 that Los Angeles lost by three. NBA: Most points in a Finals Game 7 · NBA: Lakers–Celtics 1962 Finals Game 7 box score
- #4. As a 24-year-old rookie, Baylor scored 55 points with 12 rebounds—the third-highest scoring game in league history at the time—while rescuing a franchise that had won 19 games the prior season. NBA: 1958–59 season review · NBA: Legends profile—Elgin Baylor
- #5. Baylor produced 43 points and 20 rebounds in Boston to win 1963 Finals Game 5, extending the series and delivering another elite road performance against Russell's Celtics. NBA: Lakers–Celtics 1963 Finals Game 5 box score · NBA: 1962–63 season review
Reviewed through 2026-07-17