'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
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.
#3 Chris Paul (36 years, 61 days)
The 36-year-old Paul played like a man among boys in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals on Tuesday night at the Phoenix Suns Arena. He took advantage of mismatches and created opportunities for wide-open shots for his teammates.
Known primarily as a playmaker, Paul made 12 of 19 shots and was second for the team in shot attempts. He also made four of seven 3-pointers to help spread the floor for his team’s inside players.
The threat of his shooting kept the Bucks on their toes, and that allowed the future Hall-of-Famer to set up his teammates as he accumulated nine assists for the night. Paul could add more to his legacy by producing another such performance in the series.
#2 Tim Duncan (37 years, 54 days)
The San Antonio Spurs went to the 2013 NBA Finals with Tim Duncan squeezing everything he could from his 37-year-old body. In an epic Game 6 of the series, Duncan turned back the clock and played as if he was ten years younger.
The Big Fundamental scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, but the Heat escaped with a 103-100 overtime win. That was a heartbreaking loss for the Spurs, who almost had the championship in the bag until the Heat’s Ray Allen hit the game-tying 3-pointer in regulation time.
Though the Spurs lost the 2013 NBA Finals 4-3, Duncan showed he could still play with the best of them, hitting 13 of 21 shots from the field on an assortment of post moves and bank shots.
#1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (40 years, 59 days)
In the clinching game of the 1987 NBA Finals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored a season-high 32 points as the LA Lakers dominated the Boston Celtics 106-93. The Captain was a force both offensively and defensively as he powered the Lakers to a victory in Game 6.
Abdul-Jabbar shot 13 of 18 from the field to remind everyone why he had six MVPs to his name. Even at 40, the 19-time All-Star was able to execute the skyhook to perfection multiple times while mixing up his offensive arsenal with put-backs, dunks and jumpers.
Moreover, Abdul-Jabbar terrorized the Celtics with four blocks at the defensive end. In the six-game NBA Finals series, the Lakers legend averaged 21.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
Also Read: 5 reasons why the Phoenix Suns won 118-105 against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals.
Guess the Bulls players in this quiz and it's not going to be easy!
