first player to score 40+ points in a playoff game

George Mikan had 42 points in Game 1 of the 1949 NBA Finals against the Washington Capitols on April 4, 1949.

	NAME	DATE	PTS	TM		OPP	MIN	REB	AST	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	TS%	PF
1	George Mikan G. Mikan	4/4/1949	42	MIN	vs	WAS				14	21	66.7	14	17	82.4	73.7	4
2	George Mikan G. Mikan	4/23/1950	40	MIN	vs	SYR			2	13	20	65.0	14	17	82.4	72.8	6
3	George Mikan G. Mikan	3/21/1951	41	MIN	vs	IND				17	30	56.7	7	9	77.8	60.4	2
4	Alex Groza A. Groza	3/23/1951	40	IND	vs	MIN				15	29	51.7	10	13	76.9	57.6	4
5	George Mikan G. Mikan	3/29/1952	47	MIN	@	ROC				15	26	57.7	17	18	94.4	69.3	4
6	Bob Cousy B. Cousy	3/21/1953	50	BOS	vs	SYR	66	3	2	10	22	45.5	30	32	93.8	69.3	5
7	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	3/21/1956	41	STL	@	MIN				14	24	58.3	13	19	68.4	63.3	3
8	Neil Johnston N. Johnston	3/25/1956	43	PHI	@	SYR	46	16	7	14	22	63.6	15	15	100.0	75.2	5
9	Slick Leonard S. Leonard	3/25/1957	42	MIN	vs	STL	52		8	14	32	43.8	14	14	100.0	55.0	3
10	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	4/12/1958	50	STL	vs	BOS	42	19		19	34	55.9	12	15	80.0	61.6	1
11	Cliff Hagan C. Hagan	3/21/1959	40	STL	vs	MIN				16	22	72.7	8	9	88.9	77.0	5
12	Paul Arizin P. Arizin	3/11/1960	40	PHI	vs	SYR		12	5	13	24	54.2	14	14	100.0	66.3	4
13	Elgin Baylor E. Baylor	3/12/1960	40	MIN	@	DET				15			10	11	90.9		4
14	Dolph Schayes D. Schayes	3/13/1960	40	SYR	vs	PHI		22	4	13	27	48.1	14	15	93.3	59.5	5
15	Wilt Chamberlain W. Chamberlain	3/14/1960	53	PHI	vs	SYR	47	22	2	24	42	57.1	5	16	31.3	54.0	0
16	Wilt Chamberlain W. Chamberlain	3/16/1960	42	PHI	@	BOS	48	29	1	17	35	48.6	8	14	57.1	51.0	2
17	Elgin Baylor E. Baylor	3/17/1960	40	MIN	@	STL		14		11	26	42.3	18	23	78.3	55.4	5
18	Wilt Chamberlain W. Chamberlain	3/22/1960	50	PHI	@	BOS	46	35	2	22	42	52.4	6	14	42.9	51.9	2
19	Elgin Baylor E. Baylor	3/22/1960	40	MIN	@	STL	53	18		16	38	42.1	8	13	61.5	45.7	4
20	Elgin Baylor E. Baylor	3/14/1961	40	LAL	vs	DET	39	18	9	17	28	60.7	6	7	85.7	64.4	4
21	Wilt Chamberlain W. Chamberlain	3/14/1961	46	PHI	vs	SYR	48	32	2	19	39	48.7	8	14	57.1	50.9	3
22	Elgin Baylor E. Baylor	3/15/1961	49	LAL	vs	DET		21		17	34	50.0	15	20	75.0	57.2	5
23	Elgin Baylor E. Baylor	3/18/1961	47	LAL	@	DET				17			13	14	92.9		5
24	Elgin Baylor E. Baylor	3/21/1961	44	LAL	@	STL	48	14		18	31	58.1	8	13	61.5	59.9	1
25	Bob Pettit B. Pettit	3/25/1961	40	STL	@	LAL	48	18		15	26	57.7	10	14	71.4	62.2	1