Elgin Baylor
Lakers Peak (1961-63) · 1961–1963
Baylor's elite Scoring (92) and elite Inside Scoring (90) define this era.
Trophy Case
1959
Averaged 25/15 — immediately one of the best players in the league
1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970
11 selections — one of the most gifted athletes in NBA history
1959
All-Star MVP in 1959 — one of the first showcase stars
1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969
10 selections — one of the most gifted scorers the game has seen
Signature Moments
61 Points in a Finals Game
Baylor scored 61 points in Game 5 of the 1962 NBA Finals — a record that still stands. He added 22 rebounds. Against the Celtics dynasty. In the biggest game of the year. It was the most dominant Finals performance until LeBron and Giannis decades later.
Sixty-one points in the Finals. Nobody has ever scored more in a championship game. That was 1962 and the record is still untouched.
Playing While Serving in the Army
Baylor was on active military duty and could only play on weekends. He would fly from Fort Lewis to wherever the Lakers were playing, suit up, and dominate. On a part-time schedule, he still averaged 38.3 points and 18.6 rebounds. While literally serving in the Army.
He was in the military. He played on weekends. He averaged 38 points. This is the most absurd accomplishment in professional sports history.
The Tragic Retirement — 9 Games Before the Title
Baylor retired 9 games into the 1971-72 season due to knee injuries. The Lakers then went on to win 33 straight games and the championship. After 14 years of losing to the Celtics in the Finals, the Lakers won the year Baylor stopped playing. The cruelest timing in sports.
He played 14 years without a ring. He retired. The Lakers won the title 9 games later. Basketball can be devastatingly unfair.
Career Numbers
Playoff PPG
1962 Finals Game 5: 61 points — still a Finals record
27.0
Assists Per Game
4.3
Career Points
23,149
Points Per Game
Career average across 846 games — 3rd highest ever at retirement
27.4
Rebounds Per Game
13.5
Season Stats · Lakers Peak (1961-63)
Engine Attributes
Fan Debate
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