who has the most points in an nba game before 1957

Before 1956-57, Joe Fulks posted the most points in a game, with 63 points versus the Indianapolis Jets on February 10, 1949.

Interpreted as:

Who has the most points in an NBA regular-season game before 1957?

	NAME	PTS	DATE	TM		OPP	MIN	REB	AST	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	TS%	PF
1	Joe Fulks J. Fulks	63	2/10/1949	PHI	vs	IND			0	27	56	48.2	9	14	64.3	50.7	3
2	George Mikan G. Mikan	61	1/20/1952	MIN	vs	ROC		36		22	45	48.9	17	21	81.0	56.2	4
3	George Mikan G. Mikan	53	2/26/1949	MIN	@	BAL				17	28	60.7	19	20	95.0	72.0	5
4	George Mikan G. Mikan	51	1/14/1950	MIN	@	ROC				20	36	55.6	11	12	91.7	61.8	5
5	George Mikan G. Mikan	51	3/13/1949	MIN	vs	NYK				22	40	55.0	7	12	58.3	56.3	2
6	Neil Johnston N. Johnston	50	2/16/1954	PHI		SYR		12	6	18	30	60.0	14	16	87.5	67.5	5
7	Dike Eddleman D. Eddleman	48	12/17/1950	TRI	@	FTW				19	28	67.9	10	12	83.3	72.1	3
8	George Mikan G. Mikan	48	2/22/1949	MIN	@	NYK				18	37	48.6	12	17	70.6	54.0
9	George Mikan G. Mikan	48	1/30/1949	MIN	vs	WAS				18	29	62.1	12	14	85.7	68.3	6
10	George Mikan G. Mikan	47	11/18/1950	MIN	@	ROC				16	40	40.0	15	16	93.8	50.0	4
11	Joe Fulks J. Fulks	47	12/18/1948	PHI	@	PRO				18	41	43.9	11	14	78.6	49.8	4
12	George Mikan G. Mikan	47	12/4/1948	MIN	@	CHI				16			15	19	78.9		1
13	Carl Braun C. Braun	47	12/6/1947	NYK	@	PRO				18	35	51.4	11
14	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	46	2/24/1956	STL		SYR	43	22	5	17	34	50.0	12	14	85.7	57.3	3
15	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	46	12/27/1955	STL	vs	BOS				17	27	63.0	12	14	85.7	69.4	3
16	Ed Macauley E. Macauley	46	3/6/1953	BOS	vs	MIN	41			18	29	62.1	10	17	58.8	63.0	3
17	George Mikan G. Mikan	46	1/14/1953	MIN	@	BAL		28		16	30	53.3	14	15	93.3	62.8	6
18	George Mikan G. Mikan	46	3/10/1951	MIN	@	TRI				16	31	51.6	14	17	82.4	59.8	3
19	George Mikan G. Mikan	46	3/19/1949	MIN	@	ROC				18	40	45.0	10	13	76.9	50.3
20	Neil Johnston N. Johnston	45	2/4/1955	PHI	vs	ROC		20	1	15	23	65.2	15	22	68.2	68.8	4
21	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	44	3/9/1956	STL	vs	MIN		19		14			16	18	88.9		3
22	Carl Braun C. Braun	44	2/27/1956	NYK		STL				14	22	63.6	16	16	100.0	75.8	5
23	George Mikan G. Mikan	44	3/4/1951	MIN	@	BOS				13			18	20	90.0		5
24	Bobby Cook B. Cook	44	1/12/1950	SHE	vs	DEN			5	18	33	54.5	8	9	88.9	59.5	5
25	George Mikan G. Mikan	44	12/1/1948	MIN	@	FTW				14			16	19	84.2