The Celtics added to their rich history during their current NBA Playoff run when they punched their ticket to the 2022 NBA Finals. Boston has now reached the championship series 22 times, the second-most appearances in league history behind only the Lakers (32).
Given their experience in the NBA Finals, the Celtics have seen several huge performances from their top players on the big stage. But one star in particular has bragging rights when it comes to getting buckets with the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the line.
Which players have scored the most points in a single NBA Finals game? Let’s run down the list.
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Most points scored by a Celtics player in an NBA Finals game
John Havlicek is one of the greatest scorers in NBA Finals history, so to no one’s surprise, his name is all over the Celtics’ record book. He owns four of the top seven scoring NBA Finals games on Boston’s list.
“Hondo” racked up 43 points in Game 2 of the 1969 NBA Finals on 15-of-27 shooting from the field. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out six assists. The Celtics lost Game 2 against the Lakers despite Havlicek’s impressive stat line, but they won the series in seven games.
| Player | Points | Year |
| John Havlicek | 43 | 1969 |
| John Havlicek | 40 | 1968 |
| Paul Pierce | 38 | 2008 |
| John Havlicek | 37 | 1969 |
| Sam Jones | 37 | 1965 |
| Tom Heinsohn | 37 | 1957 |
| John Havlicek | 36 | 1974 |
| Sam Jones | 36 | 1966 |
| Sam Jones | 36 | 1963 |
| Bill Sharman | 36 | 1957 |
(via StatMuse)
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Most points scored by any player in an NBA Finals game
Six decades later, Elgin Baylor still holds the record. The Lakers legend dropped 61 points on the Celtics in Game 5 of the 1962 NBA Finals, leading them to a 126-121 victory and 3-2 series lead. Unfortunately for Baylor, Bill Russell and the Celtics took the next two games and captured their fourth straight title.
Baylor, Michael Jordan, Rick Barry, Jerry West, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bob Pettit are the only players who have scored at least 50 points in an NBA Finals game.
| Player | Points | Year | Team |
| Elgin Baylor | 61 | 1962 | Lakers |
| Michael Jordan | 55 | 1993 | Bulls |
| Rick Barry | 55 | 1967 | Warriors |
| Jerry West | 53 | 1969 | Lakers |
| LeBron James | 51 | 2018 | Cavaliers |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 50 | 2021 | Bucks |
| Bob Pettit | 50 | 1958 | Hawks |
| Allen Iverson | 48 | 2001 | 76ers |
| Stephen Curry | 47 | 2019 | Warriors |
| Michael Jordan | 46 | 1992 | Bulls |
(via StatMuse)
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