On This Day (Jan. 20)

Notable events from NBA history that occurred on January 20.

Mikan Carries Lakers

On this day in 1952, the Minneapolis Lakers’ George Mikan scored a career-high 61 points in a 91-81 win over the Rochester Royals. It was just the second 60-point game in NBA history. Joe Fulks recorded the first such game on Feb. 10, 1949.

Mikan scored 67.0% of the Lakers’ points, the highest such percentage in NBA history by a player in a 60-point game:

• 67.0% — George Mikan (Jan. 20, 1952)

• 66.4% — Kobe Bryant (Jan. 22, 2006)

• 63.4% — David Robinson (April 24, 1994)

• 62.6% — Wilt Chamberlain (Nov. 3, 1962)

• 59.4% — Bryant (April 13, 2016)

Mikan took a whopping 45 shots from the field, making 22 of them (48.9%). He also made 17 of his 21 attempts from the free throw line (81.0%).