5 oldest players to score 30 points in an NBA Finals game

#3 Chris Paul (36 years, 61 days)

Chris Paul (#3) celebrates a basket.

The 36-year-old Paul played like a man among boys in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals on Tuesday night at the Phoenix Suns Arena. He took advantage of mismatches and created opportunities for wide-open shots for his teammates.

Chris Paul is the first player with 30+ PTS and 8+ AST in a Finals debut since Michael Jordan in 1991. ◽️️32 PTS◽️️12-19 FG (4-7 3-PT FG)◽️️9 ASTH/T @ESPNStatsInfo pic.twitter.com/LMX9a1oDU1

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 7, 2021

Known primarily as a playmaker, Paul made 12 of 19 shots and was second for the team in shot attempts. He also made four of seven 3-pointers to help spread the floor for his team’s inside players.

The threat of his shooting kept the Bucks on their toes, and that allowed the future Hall-of-Famer to set up his teammates as he accumulated nine assists for the night. Paul could add more to his legacy by producing another such performance in the series.

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#2 Tim Duncan (37 years, 54 days)

Tim Duncan (#21) goes up for a basket against the Miami Heat.

The San Antonio Spurs went to the 2013 NBA Finals with Tim Duncan squeezing everything he could from his 37-year-old body. In an epic Game 6 of the series, Duncan turned back the clock and played as if he was ten years younger.

Tim Duncan at age 37 torching the Heat in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. Truly a master of his craft. He played the right way, for the team. Never the loudest, but cooked you with his play, at his own pace. A rare talent right here. HOF Tim. #Different pic.twitter.com/lmt5NwEQy4

— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) May 13, 2021

The Big Fundamental scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, but the Heat escaped with a 103-100 overtime win. That was a heartbreaking loss for the Spurs, who almost had the championship in the bag until the Heat’s Ray Allen hit the game-tying 3-pointer in regulation time.

Though the Spurs lost the 2013 NBA Finals 4-3, Duncan showed he could still play with the best of them, hitting 13 of 21 shots from the field on an assortment of post moves and bank shots.

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#1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (40 years, 59 days)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.

In the clinching game of the 1987 NBA Finals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored a season-high 32 points as the LA Lakers dominated the Boston Celtics 106-93. The Captain was a force both offensively and defensively as he powered the Lakers to a victory in Game 6.

Abdul-Jabbar shot 13 of 18 from the field to remind everyone why he had six MVPs to his name. Even at 40, the 19-time All-Star was able to execute the skyhook to perfection multiple times while mixing up his offensive arsenal with put-backs, dunks and jumpers.

Moreover, Abdul-Jabbar terrorized the Celtics with four blocks at the defensive end. In the six-game NBA Finals series, the Lakers legend averaged 21.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.

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