most points by a rookie in a finals game loss since 1979

Since 1978-79, Magic Johnson has scored the most points by a rookie in a loss in an NBA Finals game, with 28 points versus the 76ers on May 11, 1980.

	NAME	PTS	L	DATE	SEASON	SERIES	TM		OPP	MIN	REB	AST	STL	BLK	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	TS%	OREB	DREB	TOV	PF	+/-
1	Magic Johnson M. Johnson	28	1	5/11/1980	1979-80	NBA Finals	LAL	@	PHI	45	9	9	3	1	10	14	71.4	0	0		8	10	80.0	76.1	1	8	3	1
2	Tyler Herro T. Herro	21	1	10/6/2020	2019-20	NBA Finals	MIA	vs	LAL	37	7	3	1	0	8	18	44.4	3	7	42.9	2	4	50.0	53.1	1	6	3	0	-13
3	Elden Campbell E. Campbell	21	1	6/12/1991	1990-91	NBA Finals	LAL	vs	CHI	27	2	0	2	1	9	12	75.0	0	0		3	4	75.0	76.3	1	1	1	3
4	Richard Dumas R. Dumas	20	1	6/9/1993	1992-93	NBA Finals	PHX	vs	CHI	42	12	4	2	3	10	20	50.0	0	0		0	0		50.0	8	4	1	4
5	Kendrick Nunn K. Nunn	18	1	9/30/2020	2019-20	NBA Finals	MIA	@	LAL	20	5	2	0	0	8	11	72.7	2	4	50.0	0	0		81.8	1	4	0	0	+8
6	Tyler Herro T. Herro	17	1	10/2/2020	2019-20	NBA Finals	MIA	@	LAL	43	7	3	0	0	5	12	41.7	1	3	33.3	6	6	100.0	58.1	0	7	2	3	-1
7	Richard Dumas R. Dumas	17	1	6/16/1993	1992-93	NBA Finals	PHX	@	CHI	25	1	0	1	0	8	11	72.7	0	0		1	1	100.0	74.3	1	0	2	3
8	Daniel Gibson D. Gibson	16	1	6/7/2007	2006-07	NBA Finals	CLE	@	SAS	28	1	4	4	0	7	9	77.8	2	3	66.7	0	0		88.9	0	1	0	1	+4
9	Daniel Gibson D. Gibson	15	1	6/10/2007	2006-07	NBA Finals	CLE	@	SAS	32	1	0	1	0	6	12	50.0	2	5	40.0	1	1	100.0	60.3	0	1	0	3	-1
10	Tyler Herro T. Herro	14	1	9/30/2020	2019-20	NBA Finals	MIA	@	LAL	30	4	3	0	0	6	18	33.3	2	8	25.0	0	1	0.0	38.0	0	4	2	1	-35
11	Kendrick Nunn K. Nunn	13	1	10/2/2020	2019-20	NBA Finals	MIA	@	LAL	29	4	3	0	1	3	7	42.9	1	4	25.0	6	6	100.0	67.4	1	3	2	4	0
12	Magic Johnson M. Johnson	13	1	5/7/1980	1979-80	NBA Finals	LAL	vs	PHI	41	8	11	2	0	5	8	62.5	0	0		3	3	100.0	69.7	1	7	5	5
13	Courtney Lee C. Lee	12	1	6/14/2009	2008-09	NBA Finals	ORL	vs	LAL	26	4	1	1	0	5	11	45.5	0	2	0.0	2	2	100.0	50.5	1	3	0	3	-6
14	Tony Smith T. Smith	12	1	6/12/1991	1990-91	NBA Finals	LAL	vs	CHI	30	0	2	1	0	5	6	83.3	0	0		2	3	66.7	82.0	0	0	4	6
15	Kevin McHale K. McHale	12	1	5/7/1981	1980-81	NBA Finals	BOS	vs	HOU	26	5	2	0	3	6	8	75.0	0	0		0	0		75.0	2	3	3	5
16	Dereck Lively II D. Lively II	11	1	6/12/2024	2023-24	NBA Finals	DAL	vs	BOS	30	13	1	2	0	5	6	83.3	0	0		1	1	100.0	85.4	3	10	0	0	+6
17	Kurt Rambis K. Rambis	11	1	5/30/1982	1981-82	NBA Finals	LAL	@	PHI	16	4	1	1	1	4	7	57.1	0	0		3	6	50.0	57.1	2	2	1	3
18	Daniel Gibson D. Gibson	10	1	6/14/2007	2006-07	NBA Finals	CLE	vs	SAS	44	2	5	0	0	4	10	40.0	2	6	33.3	0	0		50.0	1	1	0	4	+2
19	Manu Ginobili M. Ginobili	10	1	6/11/2003	2002-03	NBA Finals	SAS	@	NJN	28	2	1	4	0	3	10	30.0	2	6	33.3	2	3	66.7	44.2	1	1	1	1	+2
20	Richard Jefferson R. Jefferson	10	1	6/7/2002	2001-02	NBA Finals	NJN	@	LAL	32	5	3	0	0	3	6	50.0	0	0		4	8	50.0	52.5	2	3	1	2	-18
21	Sam Cassell S. Cassell	10	1	6/15/1994	1993-94	NBA Finals	HOU	@	NYK	30	4	5	2	0	3	11	27.3	1	4	25.0	3	3	100.0	40.6	1	3	5	4
22	Sam Cassell S. Cassell	9	1	6/10/1994	1993-94	NBA Finals	HOU	vs	NYK	23	4	3	2	0	2	8	25.0	1	2	50.0	4	4	100.0	46.1	3	1	3	3
23	Kendrick Nunn K. Nunn	8	1	10/11/2020	2019-20	NBA Finals	MIA	vs	LAL	13	3	1	0	0	3	8	37.5	2	4	50.0	0	0		50.0	0	3	2	0	-13
24	Richard Jefferson R. Jefferson	8	1	6/9/2002	2001-02	NBA Finals	NJN	vs	LAL	22	3	0	2	0	4	5	80.0	0	0		0	0		80.0	0	3	2	1	+13
25	Shandon Anderson S. Anderson	8	1	6/13/1997	1996-97	NBA Finals	UTA	@	CHI	26	3	0	1	0	2	10	20.0	0	1	0.0	4	6	66.7	31.6	1	2	0	1	-7