The Nuggets took Game 1 of their opening round series against the Jazz on Monday, and it came despite a record-setting performance on the Utah side. Capable of exploding on a given day, Donovan Mitchell put on the best performance of his career to date, with a 57-point effort in the loss. It's the third-most points ever scored in a single playoff game, as he becomes the 15th player ever to score more than 50. Of the first 14 to do so, 10 are in the Hall of Fame and two more (LeBron James and Russell Westbrook) will be. It's a phenomenal group to be in, and the list to score more than 55 is even more exclusive, as Mitchell found out Monday. Here are the highest-scoring performances in NBA playoff history:
1) Michael Jordan, 1986: Of the 10 highest-scoring playoff games ever, His Airness owns five, highlighted by his 63-point effort in the 1986 opening round series against the Celtics. Down 1-0 in the best-of-five series, Jordan nearly willed the 30-52 Bulls to a Game 2 victory in Boston against a Celtics team off back-to-back Finals appearances. MJ scored his 63 points on just 41 shot attempts, aided by a 19-for-21 performance from the free throw line, but it wasn't quite enough in a 135-131 double overtime setback. Boston would win the series and, eventually, a second championship in three years, but it was clear that Chicago had something brewing with its 23-year-old at the helm.
2) Elgin Baylor, 1962: With the 1962 Finals tied two games apiece, the Hall of Famer put forth a performance that still hasn't been matched in the championship series. The league's most prolific scorer before Wilt Chamberlain, Baylor poured in 61 points in a 126-121 victory over the Celtics, going 22-for-46 from the field and 17-of-19 from the free throw line. He also chipped in 22 rebounds, but his counterpart Bill Russell got the last laugh. Boston would overcome the 3-2 series deficit to win in seven, winning the fourth of what would ultimately become eight consecutive titles.
3) Donovan Mitchell, 2020: With 29 points through three quarters, it looked like a very good game from Mitchell before exploding into historic. Spider scored 28 points in the fourth quarter and overtime of Monday's loss, but it was a costly fourth quarter mistake that might be the defining moment from the game. With under two minutes left and up by four, Mitchell was called for an eight-second violation despite there being no defensive pressure applied. Denver went down and hit a three, eventually forced overtime and won. Still, Mitchell's 57-point performance won't soon be forgotten.
T-4) Charles Barkley, 1994: It was an injury-marred 1993-94 season for Barkley, who battled back and quad issues all year. Still, he averaged 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, and put on a show to remember in the first round. Up two games to none against the Warriors, the Suns finished off Golden State in a 140-133 (non-overtime!) thriller in which Barkley was the star. He finished with 56 points on 23-of-31 shooting along with 14 rebounds. Phoenix would go on to take a 2-0 series lead on Houston, before losing the series in seven and watching the Rockets go on to win the first of back-to-back championships.
T-4) Michael Jordan, 1992: Miami's first ever playoff appearance wasn't exactly the easiest of tasks. They were victims of Jordan in the peak of his powers. The second appearance on this list, the year before he'd gotten the proverbial monkey off his back by finally winning his first championship with Chicago, proving he was more than just a scorer. To open up the 1992 playoffs, the Bulls led the Heat two games to none in the best-of-five, and Jordan closed out Miami with a bang in Game 3. In the 119-114 victory Jordan finished with 56 points on 20-of-30 shooting, plus 16-of-18 from the free throw line. For good measure, Scottie Pippen chipped in 31 as Chicago cruised to the second round and, ultimately, won a second straight title.
In addition to his 63- and 56-point games, Jordan also had three different 55-point playoff efforts, a 54-point performance, two 50-point, two 48-point and two 47-point games.
T-4) Wilt Chamberlain, 1962: While he was incredible in his rookie and sophomore campaigns, averaging 38 points and 27.1 rebounds per game across that span, Chamberlain put forth an effort never seen before or since in 1961-62. For the season he averaged 50.4 points - far and away an NBA record - and it translated to the postseason with the Philadelphia Warriors. In a do-or-die Game 5 with the Syracuse Nationals, Wilt the Stilt led Philly to a 121-104 victory with a 56-point, 35-rebound effort. For the series the 23-year-old averaged 37 points and 26.2 rebounds per game, but the Warriors would lose in Game 7 of the following series against the three-time defending champion Celtics, again in midst of their ultimate eight-peat.