NBA Finals 2020: Most individual points in a loss in Finals history

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Stephen Curry finished with the second-most points in a loss in NBA Finals history.

Playing without Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry knew heading into Game 3 that he would need to score in bunches to give the Golden State Warriors a shot.

After taking four shots in the first two minutes of the game, it became apparent that this would be one of those nights when Curry would play with the ultimate green light. He scored 17 points in the first quarter while scoring or assisting on nine of Golden State's 10 made baskets.

He ended up finishing with 47 points, the second-most prolific scoring game in a loss in Finals history.

Curry of course knows a thing or two about what it's like to watch a player pour in points in a losing effort. He was on the winning side in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals when LeBron James scored 51 points in the same arena that Curry himself dropped 47 in this one.

Here are the highest-scoring games in a loss in Finals history.

LeBron James - 51

Date: May 31, 2018

Stephen Curry - 47

Date: June 5, 2019

Stephen Curry made six 3-pointers in Game 3.

Jerry West - 45 (2x)

Date: April 22, 1966; April 19, 1966

Jerry West had a pair of 45-point games in losses during the 1966 NBA Finals.

LeBron James - 44

Date: June 4, 2015

Shaquille O'Neal - 44

Date: June 6, 2001

Shaquille O

Michael Jordan - 44

Date: June 13, 1993

Michael Jordan averaged 41.0 points per game in the 1993 NBA Finals against the Suns.

Rick Barry - 44

Date: April 24, 1967

Rick Barry

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Micah Adams Photo

Micah Adams is a Managing Editor at Sporting News.