who has the most points in an nba game before 1959

Before 1958-59, Joe Fulks scored 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 1959?

	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 Yardley G. Yardley	52	2/4/1958	DET	vs	SYR		20		18	31	58.1	16	16	100.0	68.3	3
5	George Yardley G. Yardley	51	1/15/1958	DET	@	BOS	47	19		17	33	51.5	17	19	89.5	61.7	5
6	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	51	12/21/1957	STL		SYR				18	27	66.7	15	20	75.0	71.2	3
7	George Mikan G. Mikan	51	1/14/1950	MIN	@	ROC				20	36	55.6	11	12	91.7	61.8	5
8	George Mikan G. Mikan	51	3/13/1949	MIN	vs	NYK				22	40	55.0	7	12	58.3	56.3	2
9	Neil Johnston N. Johnston	50	2/16/1954	PHI		SYR		12	6	18	30	60.0	14	16	87.5	67.5	5
10	George Yardley G. Yardley	49	3/6/1958	DET	@	MIN				19	33	57.6	11	15	73.3	61.9	3
11	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	49	11/13/1956	STL	vs	ROC	43	29		18	34	52.9	13	17	76.5	59.1	5
12	George Yardley G. Yardley	48	2/18/1958	DET	vs	SYR				16	29	55.2	16	19	84.2	64.2	2
13	George Yardley G. Yardley	48	12/26/1957	DET	@	STL				14	32	43.8	20	24	83.3	56.4	3
14	Dike Eddleman D. Eddleman	48	12/17/1950	TRI	@	FTW				19	28	67.9	10	12	83.3	72.1	3
15	George Mikan G. Mikan	48	2/22/1949	MIN	@	NYK				18	37	48.6	12	17	70.6	54.0
16	George Mikan G. Mikan	48	1/30/1949	MIN	vs	WAS				18	29	62.1	12	14	85.7	68.3	6
17	Dolph Schayes D. Schayes	47	3/3/1957	SYR	vs	PHI	42	19	2	18	27	66.7	11	12	91.7	72.8	2
18	George Mikan G. Mikan	47	11/18/1950	MIN	@	ROC				16	40	40.0	15	16	93.8	50.0	4
19	Joe Fulks J. Fulks	47	12/18/1948	PHI	@	PRO				18	41	43.9	11	14	78.6	49.8	4
20	George Mikan G. Mikan	47	12/4/1948	MIN	@	CHI				16			15	19	78.9		1
21	Carl Braun C. Braun	47	12/6/1947	NYK	@	PRO				18	35	51.4	11
22	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	46	2/24/1956	STL		SYR	43	22	5	17	34	50.0	12	14	85.7	57.3	3
23	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	46	12/27/1955	STL	vs	BOS				17	27	63.0	12	14	85.7	69.4	3
24	Ed Macauley E. Macauley	46	3/6/1953	BOS	vs	MIN	41			18	29	62.1	10	17	58.8	63.0	3
25	George Mikan G. Mikan	46	1/14/1953	MIN	@	BAL		28		16	30	53.3	14	15	93.3	62.8	6