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Offical 2009-10 NBA Season Thread
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by mateen cleaves,
- Start date
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imagine if he lost some weight
im not you
Banned
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/\ That would greatly alter his effectiveness in the post. One of the reasons he's even able to be as effective is because he's so nimble for someone with his build and strength. He's lost the weight he needed to. He just has to maintain it. A Udonis Haslem like weight loss for big baby and he's playing in Spain unless he gets a Udonis like jumper and grows an inch.
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Big Baby has already lost a bunch of weight since the Celtics drafted him. This is the "skinny" version we're seeing now.
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Tyson Chandler is thinking about opting out of the last year in his contract ($12.6 m) for a longer deal this summer.
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thunder get on him.
wouldnt mind him back on the bulls but him and noah are the same damn player
For TinyMike before he comes in here demanding Insider **+% like he's the mayor
John Hollinger's 50 Greatest Single Game Finals Performances
John Hollinger's 50 Greatest Single Game Finals Performances
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1997 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]13-27[/td][td]2-5[/td][td]10-12[/td][td]7[/td][td]5[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]38[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 35.2 Result: Bulls 90, Jazz 88 Series: Bulls win in 6
Based solely on production, this game ranks high, but not at the top -- even after adjusting for pace and opponent, 15 other Finals games outrank it, including six by Jordan.
But in terms of impact and obstacles, "The Flu Game" is the most amazing thing I've ever seen. For starters, this was the deciding game of the series. Tied at two games apiece heading into Game 5, the win in Utah's hostile Delta Center essentially clinched a hard-fought championship for Chicago.
Of course, there were the obstacles Jordan faced thanks to a bout of food poisoning that would have rendered mere mortals unable to play. In total, though, this game represents the pinnacle of Jordan's greatness -- the combination of one-in-a-million talent with one-in-a-million drive.
Looking like he'd pass out at any moment during stoppages of play, Jordan nonetheless rallied the Bulls from an early 16-point deficit and dialed it up late, scoring 15 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter. The last points came on a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left in a tie game when Bryon Russell inexplicably left him to double Scottie Pippen in the post. That bucket would provide the winning points in the 90-88 victory, after which Jordan slumped toward the bench in total exhaustion.
Despite how ill he was, Jordan sat out only four minutes and held Jeff Hornacek to just seven points on 2-of-11 shooting. Between the incredibly high stakes and the singular determination he showed, this has to rank as the greatest Finals performance of the post-merger era.
[h3]2. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1980 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]47[/td][td]14-23[/td][td]14-14[/td][td]15[/td][td]7[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]42[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.5 Result: Lakers 123, 76ers 107 Series: Lakers win in 6
Years before Don Nelson invented the point-forward position, Magic Johnson, who was in his rookie season, played the most important game of the Lakers' season as a point-center. With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had been dominating the series, sidelined by an ankle injury as the Lakers headed to Philadelphia for Game 6, the consensus was that L.A. would need to take their lumps and then return home for a Game 7 rubber match.
Magic had other plans. Starting at center, he played all but one minute and exploded for 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, including an impressive 14-of-14 from the line. While Magic wasn't technically playing center for much of the night -- Jim Chones and Mark Landsberger handled that -- he played every spot on the floor during the course of the evening and even launched a Kareem-style skyhook from the post to start the game. More importantly, his work on the boards was a huge factor in the Lakers' ability to overcome Kareem's absence.
Had there not been such high stakes or a need to switch positions, this was still an impressive performance, ranking 13th-best in Game Score among post-merger Finals games. And the final score doesn't indicate how important Johnson's performance was. The Lakers were clinging to a two-point lead with just over five minutes left before Magic scored nine points in L.A.'s closing kick.
Add in that it was a title-clincher and that the rookie was forced into a role he had never manned that season, and it's easy to see why this was one of the most memorable performances in history -- for those few who saw it in person, and for the many who watched it later that night on CBS, by tape delay, because the practice at the time was to televise Finals games after prime time.
[h3]3. James Worthy, Lakers: 1988 Finals, Game 7[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]15-22[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]16[/td][td]10[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]5[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.2 Result: Lakers 108, Pistons 105 Series: Lakers win in 7
Worthy's Hall of Fame case would have been much more difficult without this game. "Big Game James," they called him, and this was his biggest.
In one of the most hotly contested Finals in history, Worthy exploded for 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in the rubber match to allow L.A. to escape with a narrow 108-105 victory. For his efforts, Worthy won the Finals MVP and the Lakers became the league's first back-to-back champions in almost two decades.
Less well-known is that this game may be the greatest outlier in Finals history. In the entirety of the 1987-88 season, Worthy didn't have a single game with more than 12 rebounds. He also had only one game with more than 32 points and only one with double-digit assists. The odds of doing any one of these things against a team like the Pistons were small … but the chances of all three? Infinitesimal. In fact, it was the only triple-double of his 1,069-game career (including playoffs).
Yet there's no doubting how important Worthy was in that postseason. He averaged 21.1 points and shot 52.3 percent in the playoffs. Also overlooked is that he had 28 points and nine rebounds as the Lakers won by a whisker in Game 6.
Worthy's Game 7 eruption was the 14th-highest Finals Game Score of the post-merger era and the best by far in a seventh game. And the Lakers needed every one of those points, rebounds and assists to emerge victorious.
[h3]4. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1998 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]15-35[/td][td]3-7[/td][td]12-15[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]45[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.9 Result: Bulls 87, Jazz 86 Series: Bulls win in 6
Jordan's two most memorable moments both came in Utah, and this one would be his last in a Bulls uniform. Just a year and three days after his miraculous Game 5, Chicago's "Last Dance" squad was trying to walk into the sunset with a sixth championship.
The Bulls trailed by three in the final minute before Jordan took over. He made a running layup to pull the Bulls within one, then broke away from a cutting Jeff Hornacek to surprise an unsuspecting Karl Malone in the post and steal the ball. Jordan took the ball himself up court, nudged Bryon Russell aside and launched the now-famous jumper from the foul line to put the Bulls ahead with 5.2 seconds left. (Quick trivia fact: Ask any fan who took the last shot of this game and I bet they say Jordan. It was John Stockton, who missed a 3 at the buzzer.)
In sheer statistical terms, this game was good but unexceptional by Jordan's lofty standards. He finished with 45 points, a jaw-dropping total for a game that ended 87-86, but shot only 15 of 35 from the field and had just one assist and one rebound.
On the other hand, it was a road closeout game, the Jazz of the mid-'90s were probably the best non-championship team in league history and Jordan owned the final minute. Additionally, this Game 6 was a bit like a Game 7 for Chicago -- Scottie Pippen had hurt his back and was essentially useless, and the rubber match would have been in Utah. Finally, the historical ramifications were huge, and the replays are still shown, which is why everyone who saw MJ's shot remembers it like it was yesterday.
[h3]5. Karl Malone, Jazz: 1998 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]17-27[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]5-6[/td][td]9[/td][td]5[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]39[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 40.8 Result: Jazz 83, Bulls 81 Series: Bulls win in 6
In the 33 Finals since the merger, this was the single best performance by a player whose team didn't win the series. Facing elimination, on the road, against one of the greatest teams of all time, Malone provided one glaring counterpoint to his less-than-scintillating playoff résumé by single-handedly dominating the Bulls.
Single-covered by all-world defender Dennis Rodman for much of the night, Malone converted an endless procession of mid-range turnaround jumpers from the left side (one of the most difficult shots in the game). Malone finished with 39 points on 17-of-27 shooting, added nine rebounds and five assists and had just one turnover.
Malone produced the second-highest Game Score in Finals history, as only Tim Duncan's 2003 annihilation of New Jersey in Game 1 ranks higher. However, we can't put Malone's performance any higher because it wasn't ultimately meaningful, as the Jazz lost Game 6 and the series. (Although Malone had a crucial turnover at the end, I should point out he played nearly as well in that contest, with 31 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.)
[h3]6. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2003 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]11-17[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]10-14[/td][td]20[/td][td]6[/td][td]3[/td][td]7[/td][td]1[/td][td]32[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 43.3 Result: Spurs 101, Nets 89 Series: Spurs win in 6
This is perfect: The top-rated Duncan game is one that absolutely nobody remembers. However, Duncan's Game 1 annihilation of the Nets was not only his personal-best Finals performance, but the ridiculous 43.3 is the top Game Score for any Finals game of the post-merger era -- and he did it against an elite defensive team.
It would be hard to find a game that greater exemplifies Duncan's understated excellence. The 2003 Finals were low on sex appeal because San Antonio and New Jersey both were small-market teams, but it was a gritty series that required Duncan's best.
In the opener, he more than delivered.
Going up against two of the better defensive centers of the decade in Jason Collins and Dikembe Mutombo, Duncan ripped off 32 points, 20 rebounds, seven blocks, six assists and three steals. He even shot 10-for-14 from the free throw line and he had only one turnover.
Duncan broke open a tie game at the half by scoring 24 of his 32 points after the break, and was only two steals away from the only "five-by-five" in Finals history.
[h3]7. Isiah Thomas, Pistons: 1988 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]18-32[/td][td]5-7[/td][td]3[/td][td]8[/td][td]6[/td][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]43[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.8 Result: Lakers 103, Pistons 102 Series: Lakers win in 7
This was the best Finals game ever by a player whose team lost. Nobody who saw this game will ever forget Thomas' sheer determination in rattling off 25 of his 43 points in the third quarter despite spraining his ankle midway through the quarter when he landed on Michael Cooper's foot. Thomas had just scored 14 straight points, but limped to the sideline.
Not for long, however. With the Pistons one win away from a first-ever championship, he re-entered the game after half a minute and bravely hopped along … and kept scoring. The shot of Isiah hopping back upcourt after making a transition layup is a highlight-reel staple, as is his crashing into Cooper while banking in a 3 for a 4-point play. He finished with 41 points, eight assists and six steals, with the only blemish being a missed shot in the last minute that helped L.A. escape with a 103-102 victory.
Thomas' 36.8 Game Score is very nearly the best by any player in a losing effort ever, and given the stakes and the fact he was hopping for the final 16 minutes, it ranks as one of the best and most memorable Finals performances ever.
[h3]8. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1991 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]36[/td][td]15-18[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]3-4[/td][td]7[/td][td]13[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]33[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 40.1 Result: Bulls 107, Lakers 86 Series: Bulls win in 5
This game is less memorable for the overall performance than it is for a single moment: Jordan flying down the lane with the ball extended in his right hand, then switching hands in midair, twisting around Sam Perkins and laying it in with the left. It's been one of the go-to Jordan highlights ever since (not to mention one of the go-to Marv Albert highlights), but Jordan's entire Game 2 body of work was incredible.
He made 13 straight shots in the second half, and although Chicago eventually won the series easily, the stakes were pretty high at the time: The Bulls had lost Game 1 at home and were in danger of trailing 2-0 heading to L.A.
Jordan wouldn't allow it, getting Chicago back on track by making 15 of 18 from the field, scoring 33 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the Bulls' 107-86 win. Amazingly, Jordan had only two points in the first 20 minutes before erupting to spur the Chicago rout.
It was the fifth-highest Game Score in post-merger Finals history. Even better, he did in just 36 minutes because he wasn't needed in garbage time. On a per-minute basis, only one other game -- Jordan's Game 1 against Portland in 1991 -- ranked higher.
[h3]9. Dwyane Wade, Heat: 2006 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]14-26[/td][td]1-2[/td][td]13-18[/td][td]13[/td][td]2[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]42[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.1 Result: Heat 98, Mavericks 96 Series: Heat win in 6
The Heat seemed all but dead when they trailed Dallas by 13 points with 6:34 left in Game 3. Already down 2-0 in the series, Miami rallied thanks to Wade's explosion down the stretch. He scored 12 points in the final six minutes to finish with 42 points and 13 rebounds, and Miami improbably came back to win by two on a late Gary Payton jumper. Wade broke up a pass on the Mavs' final play to clinch the victory and start the Heat's streak of four straight wins to claim the championship.
Wade made five of seven shots in Miami's late rally and came up with the game's most important rebound when Dirk Nowitzki's potential game-tying free throw caromed off the rim with three seconds left.
Even before that point, Wade did all he could to keep the Heat in the game. Wade's forays to the rim yielded 18 free throw attempts; he had only one turnover in 43 minutes on the court; and he scored or assisted on 13 of the Heat's 19 points in the first 15 minutes of the second half, as the Heat's nine-point halftime lead turned into a double-digit deficit because of a lack of production by Wade's teammates. As it turns out, he didn't need much help.
[h3]10. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1992 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]34[/td][td]16-27[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]1-1[/td][td]3[/td][td]11[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]39[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 38.3 Result: Bulls 122, Blazers 89 Series: Bulls win in 6
Here's another Jordan performance that needs just a three-word description: The Shrug Game. After Jordan made his sixth 3-pointer of the first half to finish with a record 35 points at the break, he turned to the broadcast table and shrugged as if to say, "I can't explain it, either."
Jordan riddled the Blazers with one of the most efficient offensive performances in Finals history, scoring 39 points on 16-of-27 shooting and handing out 11 assists. He had only one turnover and was needed only for 34 minutes because the Bulls ran away to a 122-89 win over Portland.
On a per-minute basis, Jordan produced the best Game Score in post-merger Finals history; his final mark of 38.3 wasn't too shabby, either. And Chicago would ultimately need all he produced, as the Bulls didn't outlast the stubborn Blazers until rallying to win in Game 6.
[h3]11. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1993 Finals, Game 4[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]46[/td][td]21-37[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]13-18[/td][td]8[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]55[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 40.7 Result: Bulls 111, Suns 105 Series: Bulls win in 6
Of all Jordan's great Finals games, this one produced the highest Game Score -- 40.7, which also is the third-highest of any game in the post-merger era.
It was an important one, too, as Jordan scored 55 points and made a key basket and free throw late to help the Bulls hold off a game Suns squad. This was the only one of the six games won by the home team, and it wasn't by much: 111-105.
It happened largely because MJ erupted for his double-nickel while committing just one turnover. The scary part is that he left points on the table, finishing 13-of-18 from the line, and as a result narrowly missed providing more than half his team's points.
[h3]12. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers: 1980 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]41[/td][td]16-24[/td][td]8-9[/td][td]15[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]5[/td][td]40[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.2 Result: Lakers 108, 76ers 103 Series: Lakers win in 6
Because of what Magic Johnson did in Game 6, everyone forgets what Kareem did in Game 5. Determined to win his first championship since heading west, Kareem dominated early but sprained his ankle in the second half and went to the locker room with 26 points.
Foreshadowing Isiah Thomas' performance in the same arena eight years later, Kareem came back and scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, including a key dunk and free throw in the final minute to snap a 103-103 tie, as the Lakers won 108-103 and took a 3-2 series lead. His ankle would be too sore for him to make the trip to Philly for the clincher, setting the stage for Magic's heroics.
In Game 5, Abdul-Jabbar finished with 40 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, making 16-of-24 from the field and 8-of-9 from the line. While his Game Score isn't as impressive as his stat line due to the breakneck pace of the series, Abdul-Jabbar's effort is phenomenal once one considers the high stakes and his returning to dominate the fourth quarter while playing on a bad wheel.
[h3]13. Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 2009 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]38[/td][td]16-34[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]8-8[/td][td]8[/td][td]8[/td][td]2[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]40[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.9 Result: Lakers 100, Magic 75 Series: Lakers win in 5
Most of Bryant's most memorable playoff performances have come in earlier rounds, but the opener of the 2009 Finals was a glaring exception. Bryant needed only 38 minutes to shred Orlando's esteemed defense for 40 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the Lakers cruised to a 100-75 Game 1 win that pointed them toward an eventual title. Included in the onslaught was an 18-point, two-assist explosion to start the third quarter in which he scored or assisted on 23 of 27 Lakers points; by the time he was done, a 10-point halftime bulge had ballooned to 25.
While the stakes weren't as high as in some of the other games on this list, Bryant's performance takes on added weight when viewed on a per-minute basis, especially after adjusting for the strength of an Orlando defense that featured Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard. On an opponent-adjusted, per-minute basis, Bryant's effort was the fourth-best of the post-merger era.
[h3]14. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2000 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]21-31[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]1-6[/td][td]19[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]2[/td][td]43[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 40.2 Result: Lakers 104, Pacers 87 Series: Lakers win in 6
This was the self-proclaimed Most Dominant Ever at his most dominant, overwhelming Indiana's frontcourt with his sheer power and quickness with one earth-shaking dunk after another. O'Neal had 12 layups and dunks en route to a 43-point, 19-rebound tour de force, registering his best Finals game in his first one in an L.A. uniform.
While single-handedly trashing the Pacers in the 104-87 win, Shaq produced the fourth-best Game Score in post-merger Finals history, clicking in at 40.22 despite shooting 1-of-6 from the free throw line. His 21 field goals (out of 31 shots) were one short of a Finals record.
The performance was the best of a monstrous Finals in which O'Neal averaged 38.0 points and 16.7 rebounds and shot 61.1 percent, winning the first of three straight Finals MVPs as L.A. beat the Pacers in six. This being L.A., Shaq's domination was only the second-most memorable thing about this game, the purple wig worn by Salma Hayek taking top honors.
[h3]15. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1992 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]14-23[/td][td]2-4[/td][td]16-19[/td][td]5[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]46[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.3 Result: Bulls 119, Blazers 106 Series: Bulls win in 6
This may be the most underrated game of Jordan's career, mostly because the game wasn't that close. But it was certainly important. The Bulls were tied at two games apiece with Portland and were playing on the road in Game 5. Jordan dominated, scoring 46 points and helping the Bulls open a 20-point lead en route to a 119-106 win.
This wasn't a game where Jordan filled the stat sheet, but he was so effective as a scorer it didn't matter. He earned 19 free throw attempts and shot 14-of-23 from the field, including two made 3-pointers. As a result, his true shooting percentage was a phenomenal 73.3. Additionally, he was part of a voracious Chicago defense that forced 18 Portland turnovers.
The win ultimately became important because the Bulls rallied to win Game 6 in Chicago and take their second straight championship. That victory was driven largely by the bench, but if not for Jordan's spectacular Game 5 it would have meant little.
[h3]16. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2002 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]41[/td][td]14-23[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]12-14[/td][td]12[/td][td]8[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]40[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 38.2 Result: Lakers 106, Nets 83 Series: Lakers win in 4
While we'd all like to pretend the real Finals were between L.A. and Sacramento in 2002, that's not what the league record book says. Instead it was the Lakers' four-game thrashing of the Nets that closed the season, with Shaq's Game 2 performance symbolic of the rout.
Believe it or not, he made 12-of-14 from the line, and with his Achilles' heel becoming a strength for one night it made Shaq virtually unguardable in the Lakers' 106-83 win. He finished two assists shy of a triple-double and had six dunks in the first half alone. When the Nets cut a 20-point deficit to nine with Shaq on the bench, he returned to re-establish order as L.A. put the game away with a 23-6 run.
Shaq's Game Score of 38.2 makes him the only player besides Michael Jordan to have two Finals games with a score above 38; this one was the eighth-highest of the post-merger era.
[h3]17. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2001 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]45[/td][td]12-19[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]4-10[/td][td]20[/td][td]9[/td][td]1[/td][td]8[/td][td]5[/td][td]28[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.1 Result: Lakers 98, 76ers 89 Series: Lakers win in 5
While the 2001 Finals ultimately weren't close, O'Neal delivered a monster game in its most dangerous moment. After the Lakers dropped the opener at home, O'Neal nearly had a quadruple-double in Game 2 with 28 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and eight blocks in the Lakers' 98-89 win.
O'Neal missed six of his 10 free throws, hurting his Game Score, but it still ranks as one of his top Finals games, and one can argue few of his performances were as crucial as this one.
Shaq sat out for only three minutes, which came after he got his fifth foul midway through the fourth quarter and the Sixers immediately went on a 13-3 run. But he came back and took over, assisting on a Derek Fisher 3-pointer and then making a short hook shot in the final minute to clinch it.
[h3]18. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1997 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]45[/td][td]11-20[/td][td]1-2[/td][td]15-21[/td][td]13[/td][td]9[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]5[/td][td]38[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 39.3 Result: Bulls 97, Jazz 85 Series: Bulls win in 6
Here's an amazing testament to Jordan's greatness: He had 38 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and his team won the game ... yet of the Bulls' four victories in the 1997 Finals, this one probably ranks a distant fourth in terms of memorable Jordan moments.
There was no Flu Game (Game 5), no buzzer-beater (as in Game 1) and no dish-off to Steve Kerr (Game 6). It was just a run of the mill Jordan butt-kicking to put the Bulls up 2-0 before heading to Utah. Jordan dominated as the Bulls built a 19-point lead after three quarters and cruised to a 97-85 win.
Jordan finished one assist shy of a triple-double, getting to the line so often he finished with more free throw attempts (21) than field goal attempts (20). His 39.3 Game Score ranks sixth on the list.
[h3]19. Dwyane Wade, Heat: 2006 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]45[/td][td]10-18[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]16-21[/td][td]10[/td][td]5[/td][td]4[/td][td]3[/td][td]5[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.9 Result: Heat 95, Mavericks 92 Series: Heat win in 6
Wade had one of the best close-out games ever in the clincher against Dallas, and gets bonus points for doing it on the road. He riddled the Dallas defense with his penetration, earning 21 free throws for his efforts, and finished with 36 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks as the Heat rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit for the 95-92 win.
The main blemish on Wade's performance was the pair of free throws he missed with 10 seconds left, giving the Mavs one final chance to tie. But he scored 11 points in the final quarter, including a pair from the stripe moments earlier. When Jason Terry's 3-pointer for the tie missed, Wade corralled the rebound as the buzzer went off and Miami had its first-ever championship.
[h3]20. Hakeem Olajuwon, Rockets: 1994 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]11-21[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]8-8[/td][td]10[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]2[/td][td]30[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 29.7 Result: Rockets 86, Knicks 84 Series: Rockets win in 7
The standout performer in what was otherwise one of the league's least appealing Finals, Olajuwon makes the top 20 not only for his statistical output, but for the high stakes and his outrageously good defense. Fittingly, the game ended with Olajuwon blocking a last-second attempt by New York's John Starks after switching off Patrick Ewing on a pick-and-roll, allowing Houston to emerge with the 86-84 win.
Matched up against Ewing, Olajuwon destroyed his counterpart over the seven games, but this was the best of the bunch. He scored 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting against New York's suffocating defense, but the equally prominent story was his D on the fellow Hall of Famer -- Ewing shot just 6-for-20.
[h3]21. Manu Ginobili, Spurs: 2005 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]32[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]4-5[/td][td]11-13[/td][td]3[/td][td]7[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]27[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 33.1 Result: Spurs 97, Pistons 76 Series: Spurs win in 7
This one is probably the most underrated Finals performance in history. Ginobili played only 32 minutes but shredded one of the greatest defensive teams of all time while he was on the court. He finished with 27 points and seven assists while missing only two shots; even his at-the-time erratic 3-point shot found the net on four of his five attempts, and he added three steals at the defensive end in the Spurs' 97-76 rout.
Ginobili's Game Score isn't overwhelming, but on a per-minute, opponent-adjusted basis this one is an all-timer -- only two other efforts in the post-merger era rate higher than his 45.3 per 40 minutes. (Those two, if you're curious, are Michael Jordan's Game 1 against Portland in 1992, and MJ's Game 2 against the Lakers in 1991.)
And while the outcome of the individual game didn't swing on Ginobili's performance, the same can't be said of the series -- San Antonio prevailed in seven games largely because of Ginobili's efforts as Tim Duncan's prime sidekick.
[h3]22. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2000 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]47[/td][td]19-32[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]3-12[/td][td]12[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]41[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.9 Result: Lakers 116, Pacers 111 Series: Lakers win in 6
Shaq dominated as the Lakers beat Indiana 116-111 to win his first championship, and the only reason it doesn't rank higher is because he was a non-factor down the stretch. Indiana went to the Hack-A-Shaq with just over two minutes left and O'Neal missed three of four from the line, causing the Lakers to take him out of the game.
Up to that point, however, O'Neal was the main reason the Lakers maintained a small lead, trashing the Indy D for 41 points on 19-of-32 shooting and, amazingly, not committing a turnover. O'Neal added 12 boards and four blocks, producing one of the best Game Scores for any closeout game despite his usual brickfest from the line, where he finished 3-of-12.
O'Neal also completed a rare triple with this game, becoming the third player in history to win MVP of the regular season, the All-Star Game and the Finals in the same campaign.
[h3]23. Larry Bird, Celtics: 1986 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]46[/td][td]8-17[/td][td]11-12[/td][td]11[/td][td]12[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]29[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.8 Result: Celtics 114, Rockets 97 Series: Celtics win in 6
Bird had surprisingly few high-rating Finals games, but this one was an exception. He helped the Celtics finish off Houston with a triple-double as Boston ended the season with a remarkable (and still a record) 50-1 mark at Boston Garden.
Additionally, this game features one of the memorable moments in the Bird collection -- when he caught the ball near the block in the fourth quarter and dribbled in serpentine fashion out to the 3-point line for a dagger 3-pointer to put the game away.
[h3]24. Bill Walton, Trail Blazers: 1977 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]8-15[/td][td]4-5[/td][td]23[/td][td]7[/td][td]0[/td][td]8[/td][td]N/A[/td][td]20[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 24.0 Result: Blazers 109, 76ers 107 Series: Blazers win in 6
We don't have turnover data from 1977 so we can only estimate how good Walton was in terms of Game Score. The Blazers had 18 turnovers in Game 6 and one presumes Walton had at least a couple of them, which would hurt his score.
Here's what we know, however: He filled the stat sheet like few others ever have in a game of such magnitude. As Portland secured its only NBA title, Walton had 20 points (relatively few for somebody on this list) but supplemented that with 23 boards, seven assists and eight blocked shots in the Blazers' 109-107 win. And his defense was as important as his offense -- prior to that famous miss by George McGinnis at the end, Walton had challenged a Julius Erving jumper to force a miss.
Incredibly, neither Walton nor the Blazers had ever appeared in a playoff game before starting their run to the title that spring.
[h3]25. Cedric Maxwell, Celtics: 1984 Finals, Game 7[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]5-10[/td][td]14-17[/td][td]8[/td][td]8[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]24[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 24.0 Result: Celtics 111, Lakers 102 Series: Celtics win in 7
In a strict statistical sense, this was not on par with some of the other great Finals performances. But in terms of a stage, it's hard to get bigger than this one. In the most important game of the most epic Finals in league annals -- the one that basically launched the NBA into its heyday -- it was not Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Kevin McHale who was the best player on the floor. It was Cedric Maxwell.
Amazingly, he'd had the stones to tell his teammates, "Climb on my back, boys," before Game 7, then backed it up on the court. "Cornbread" finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists -- more than doubling his regular-season scoring average -- as well as a crucial steal from Johnson in the final minute that helped seal the Celtics' 111-102 win.
Maxwell never made an All-Star team or an All-NBA squad, but in addition to his heroics in the '84 clincher he was Finals MVP in 1981.
[h3]26. Allen Iverson, 76ers: 2001 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]52[/td][td]18-41[/td][td]3-8[/td][td]9-9[/td][td]5[/td][td]6[/td][td]5[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]48[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 35.0 Result: 76ers 107, Lakers 101 (OT) Series: Lakers win in 5
The 2001 Lakers lost only one playoff game, and it was when The Answer went off for 48 points in the first game of the Finals. On highlight reels, this one is well-known for Iverson's battle with nemesis Tyronn Lue, including the moment in the right corner when Iverson shook Lue, nailed a jumper and then stepped over the fallen Laker.
Iverson had 30 by halftime to stun the L.A. crowd, and rallied again in overtime with a clutch 3-pointer to ice the game in Philly's 107-101 win -- finishing off a 13-2 Philadelphia run.
While Iverson got his points in typically Iversonian fashion -- he launched 41 shots -- he filled his stat sheet with six assists, five steals and only three turnovers. His Game Score isn't as high on a per-minute basis because he played 52 minutes on the night, but for sheer impact this game has few peers.
[h3]27. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1991 Finals, Game 4[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]11-20[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]5[/td][td]13[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]28[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.3 Result: Bulls 97, Lakers 82 Series: Bulls win in 5
Another one that goes in Jordan's "routine awesomeness" file. It wasn't a closeout game, and the Bulls wound up winning the series in five, so it doesn't rate as high as some of the others in terms of importance.
Nonetheless, Jordan was fantastic. Playing on the road after taking a 2-1 series lead in the previous game, it would have been easy for the young Bulls to take their foot off the gas. Instead Jordan scored 28 points on just 20 shots, handing out 13 assists and committing only one turnover, as the Bulls took control of the series and paved the way to their first title with a 97-82 pasting of the Lakers.
[h3]28. Adrian Dantley, Pistons: 1988 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]14-16[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]4[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]34[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 29.2 Result: Pistons 105, Lakers 93 Series: Lakers win in 7
The upstart Pistons came into Los Angeles and surprised the Lakers in the series opener thanks largely to Dantley's indomitable evening. He made 14-of-16 shots from the field and 6-of-7 from the line, torching the Lakers for 34 points in the Pistons' 105-93 win.
While Dantley didn't fill the box score the way some of the others on this list did -- he had only four rebounds and four assists in his 43 minutes -- Dantley's phenomenal 89.1 true shooting mark for this game was the best of any considered for the top 50. Although it wasn't ultimately very meaningful, as Detroit narrowly lost in seven games, it was potentially huge -- had Detroit won either of the close shaves in Games 6 and 7, Dantley's electric Game 1 would have been the catalyst for the Pistons' first title.
[h3]29. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1988 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]45[/td][td]5-12[/td][td]12-13[/td][td]4[/td][td]19[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]22[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.1 Result: Lakers 103, Pistons 102 Series: Lakers win in 7
Everyone remembers how awesome Isiah Thomas was in this game. And as a result, everyone forgets about Magic. With his team's back to the wall with a 3-2 deficit in Game 6, Johnson delivered one of his best-ever Finals performances with 22 points and 19 assists.
It was an incredibly efficient performance against Detroit's robust D. Johnson took only 12 shots, but made 12-of-13 from the line and his assist onslaught was offset by only two turnovers. Johnson also had eight of his 22 in the final quarter, including a transition finger-roll with 1:44 to put L.A. ahead for the moment.
The Lakers needed all those points, trailing by three points with 60 seconds left and rallying for a 103-102 win on two Kareem Abdul-Jabbar free throws with 14 seconds left.
(My favorite part: Byron Scott and Michael Cooper running after Dennis Rodman like they were about to kill him after Rodman fouled Scott in the backcourt with five seconds left. In 2010, that's definitely a tech and Detroit ties the game. In 1988? Please.)
[h3]30. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2002 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]12-19[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]11-17[/td][td]11[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]2[/td][td]35[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.0 Result: Lakers 106, Nets 103 Series: Lakers win in 4
Yep, we're back to Shaq's demolition of the Nets. I know, boooo-ring. But it was boring because Shaq had New Jersey so completely overwhelmed. Game 3 in New Jersey was a good example. With the series shifting back to the Swamp, it was the Nets' one chance to provide some interest.
Instead, Shaq's 35 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks allowed the Lakers to prevail 106-103 in the closest game of the series. The Big Diesel even made 11 of his 17 free throws, supplementing a 12-of-19 effort from the field, and drew 15 fouls on New Jersey's centers. He also made two key plays in the final minute, hitting a short bank shot with 58 seconds left to put L.A. up by four and then blocking a shot by Jason Kidd at the other end.
[h3]31. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers: 1985 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]29[/td][td]13-18[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]6[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]32[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 27.0 Result: Lakers 111, Celtics 100 Series: Lakers win in 6
Kareem was 38 years old but showed renewed vigor to remove an orca-sized monkey from the franchise's back -- the Lakers finally beat Boston in the Finals, and did so while becoming the first franchise to clinch a title in Boston Garden.
Boston trailed 3-2 but figured homecourt advantage in the final two games could lift it past L.A. Kareem had other ideas. He showed the full arsenal, even leading a 2-on-1 break at one point and delivering a textbook stop-at-the-foul-line bounce pass to Kurt Rambis for a layup.
Kareem's final tally included 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting, four blocks, and not a single turnover, as the Lakers prevailed 111-100, and he won Finals MVP for his efforts.
[h3]32. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 1999 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]13-21[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]7-10[/td][td]16[/td][td]2[/td][td]2[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]33[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.0 Result: Spurs 89, Knicks 77 Series: Spurs win in 5
Spurs-Knicks was one of the least sexy series of all time, further diminished by the lockout that robbed the league of nearly half its season. But Duncan owned the Spurs' 89-77 win in the opener. He dominated New York with 33 points and 16 rebounds -- those coming in a series in which the average score was in the low 80s -- to set the tone for the Spurs' five-game series win.
The performance also set the tone for Duncan in Game 1s. Against New Jersey in 2003 he produced the highest-rated Finals game since the merger, and his Game 1 against Cleveland in 2007 also cracks the list … with that trio of series openers providing his three highest-rated Finals games.
[h3]33. Ben Wallace, Pistons: 2004 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]8-13[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]2-6[/td][td]22[/td][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]18[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 24.3 Result: Pistons 100, Lakers 87 Series: Pistons win in 5
You could put almost any of Wallace's five games in this series on the list and not get a huge argument; it's tough to know where to put them because nearly all his value came at the defensive end. Here's what we do know: A Lakers squad with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant looked like a JV team against the Pistons' defensive might, and that was largely a result of Big Ben (who was in reality several inches shorter than most other NBA centers) patrolling the middle.
Game 5, the title clincher, was probably the pinnacle. Wallace not only made an unusually large offensive contribution -- 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting -- but was also his usual dominant self inside, grabbing 22 rebounds, picking three steals and holding Shaq to 20 points as Detroit routed L.A. 100-87 to complete a stunning five-game upset.
[h3]34. Karl Malone, Jazz: 1997 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]15-29[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]7-10[/td][td]10[/td][td]3[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]37[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.3 Result: Jazz 104, Bulls 93 Series: Bulls win in 6
Here's another great performance that tends to get lost in the wash when people look back in history. Utah came home trailing 2-0 and desperately needed a win, and Malone put the Jazz on his back against mighty Chicago with 37 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in Utah's 104-93 win, helping the Jazz roll out to a 24-point lead before holding off a late Bulls rally.
While it wasn't ultimately meaningful because of the incredible feats of Michael Jordan in Game 5, it was enormous at the time, turning a Chicago coronation into a genuine series. It also provided a touch of redemption for Malone, who had gagged on two free throws at the end of Game 1 to allow Jordan to win the game at the buzzer.
[h3]35. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2003 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]46[/td][td]10-18[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]9-10[/td][td]17[/td][td]4[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]6[/td][td]29[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 25.7 Result: Spurs 93, Nets 83 Series: Spurs win in 6
Yes, Game 5 … not Game 6. Two of Duncan's games from New Jersey crack the list, but surprisingly, his Game 6 didn't. While he finished two blocks shy of a quadruple that night, his performance in Game 5 was both more effective (in terms of Game Score) and more important.
While it didn't have the drama of a closeout game at home to clinch the title, none of that happens without Duncan's Game 5. The Spurs were playing on the road in a series tied 2-2, and while Duncan didn't come anywhere near a quad, his offensive performance -- 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting and a rare 9-of-10 from the line -- and his usual 17 boards allowed the Spurs to outlast New Jersey in a typically gritty defensive battle.
[h3]36. Magic Johnson, Lakers: Game 1, 1988 Finals[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]8-11[/td][td]10-10[/td][td]8[/td][td]10[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]28[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 37.7 Result: Pistons 105, Lakers 93 Series: Lakers win in 7
The Pistons surprised L.A. at home in the series opener, but don't blame Magic. He had one of the most efficient Finals games ever with 28 points on 8-of-11 shooting, plus a perfect 10-of-10 from the line, and his usual 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Johnson, in fact, posted the highest Game Score ever for a player whose team lost at 37.7, nearly leading the Lakers back from a 17-point halftime deficit before a late rally fell short. Unfortunately, his squad had no answer for Detroit's Adrian Dantley, so the Pistons prevailed 105-93.
[h3]37. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1991 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]40[/td][td]14-24[/td][td]1-1[/td][td]7-9[/td][td]8[/td][td]12[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.9 Result: Lakers 93, Bulls 91 Series: Bulls win in 5
Jordan loses a few notches in the rankings because his 17-footer for the lead rattled out in the final seconds, helping the Bulls to their lone defeat of the 1991 Finals. Despite that, Jordan's first Finals game was hardly a failure. In fact, if it weren't for foul trouble that limited him to "only" 40 minutes, Chicago may very well have won anyway.
As it was, Jordan finished with an eye-popping box score -- 36 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds -- and threw in three steals for good measure. He hit 14-of-24 from the floor, and on a per-minute basis, his 36.9 Game Score is the best ever for a player whose team lost.
Although Jordan went 6-0 in Finals series, he lost both his first and last Finals games in Chicago -- this one to the Lakers, and Game 5 to the Jazz in 1998.
[h3]38. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1987 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]31[/td][td]10-17[/td][td]2-2[/td][td]5[/td][td]20[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]22[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 28.8 Result: Lakers 141, Celtics 122 Series: Lakers win in 6
The Celtics decided to double-team Magic in this game, and man, did they pay for it. Johnson kept going to the post and dishing out to Michael Cooper, and Cooper kept hitting 3s. By the end of the quarter he had six of them, and the Lakers were on their way to a 141-122 rout and a 2-0 series lead.
Magic conjured up 20 assists in just 31 minutes, and added 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting. While the Game Score doesn't overwhelm because he spent much of garbage time watching, on a per-minute basis this was Magic's highest-rated Finals game.
[h3]39. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1987 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]12-18[/td][td]8-8[/td][td]11[/td][td]9[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]32[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.9 Result: Celtics 109, Lakers 103 Series: Lakers win in 6
Magic Johnson has the two highest-rated games ever for a player whose team lost, and they came exactly one year apart. This one was Game 3 in Boston in the 1987 series after the Lakers had won the first two games at home, and unfortunately it wasn't enough.
Magic had yet another of his perfect free-throw games in the Finals -- he was 8-for-8 in this one -- and made 12 of his 18 shots from the field; he also played 43 minutes without committing a single foul. Unfortunately, one of his misses was a driving layup that was blocked by reserve center Greg Kite in the midst of the game of Kite's life, helping him become probably the only player in history to get the postgame interview despite not scoring a point.
While the Lakers fell short, Magic would get the last laugh with his "Baby Hook" shot to win Game 4 two days later, spurring L.A. to its fourth championship of the Magic era.
[h3]40. Moses Malone, 76ers: 1983 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]40[/td][td]10-19[/td][td]8-13[/td][td]19[/td][td]6[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]28[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 30.2 Result: 76ers 111, Lakers 94 Series: 76ers win in 4
Because highlight films rarely show below-the-rim putbacks and tip-ins, Moses gets short shrift historically as one of the game's dominant forces in the early 1980s. You'll almost never see this mentioned anywhere, but in 1983 the best player in the game wasn't Larry or Magic, it was Moses. He won his second MVP award in three years, and while his "fo', fo', fo'" Sixers had to settle for winning the title in 13 games and not his promised 12, Philly dominated thanks to the big guy.
Game 3 in Los Angeles was symbolic of his dominance, as Malone removed any threat of the Lakers' climbing back into the series with a 28-point, 19-rebound, six-assist, three-steal masterpiece in the Sixers' 111-94 rout that gave them a 3-0 series lead.
[h3]41. Scottie Pippen, Bulls: 1992 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]33[/td][td]8-14[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]8-9[/td][td]9[/td][td]10[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]24[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 29.9 Result: Bulls 122, Blazers 89 Series: Bulls win in 6
Michael Jordan was so good in Chicago's series-opening rout of the Blazers that it's easy to overlook what a devastating force Pippen was that day. With a near triple-double -- 24 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists -- in only 33 minutes of action, Pippen had the best "sidekick" Game Score of any player in post-merger Finals history. (That is, the best by anyone not posting the top Game Score on his team.)
In fact, on a per-minute basis it stands up extremely well on its own. In 34 Game 1s since the merger, only four players have posted a higher per-minute Game Score in at least 30 minutes of action. Given the electric performances by the Bulls' two superstars, it's no big surprise that they won by 33 points.
[h3]42. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1993 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]40[/td][td]18-36[/td][td]2-2[/td][td]4-5[/td][td]12[/td][td]9[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]5[/td][td]42[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.9 Result: Bulls 111, Suns 108 Series: Bulls win in 6
This was the first of four straight 40-point games Jordan would have in the Finals, doubling the previous record of consecutive 40-point outings, and the Bulls would need all 42 of his points in topping Phoenix -- and outgunning Charles Barkley, who had 42 of his own -- as Chicago won 111-108 to take a 2-0 series lead.
While the win seemingly gave Chicago a commanding lead heading back home for three games, it ultimately became hugely important because the Suns won twice in the Windy City. Jordan needed 36 shots to get his points, so it wasn't his most efficient night ever, but he also added 12 rebounds and nine assists in 40 minutes of action.
[h3]43. Kevin Garnett: 2008 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]35[/td][td]10-18[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]14[/td][td]4[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]26[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 28.8 Result: Celtics 131, Lakers 92 Series: Celtics win in 6
Garnett wasn't needed for extended duty -- just 36 minutes -- because he spent much of the final quarter celebrating on the sideline during the Celtics' 131-92 title-clinching romp at the hands of the rival Lakers. The signature moment was Garnett converting a short bank shot late in the second quarter while getting fouled by Lamar Odom. Garnett exulted on the floor with his arms raised, as the play put the Celtics up by 21 and gave the arena the sense that the rout was on.
It was, with Garnett delivering 26 points, 14 rebounds and the trademark intensity that made the Celtics such a fearsome defensive squad that season. He did most of his damage early, too, scoring 17 before the break as the Celtics went into halftime with a 23-point lead.
[h3]44. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1996 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]41[/td][td]11-23[/td][td]3-4[/td][td]11-11[/td][td]3[/td][td]5[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.3 Result: Bulls 108, Sonics 86 Series: Bulls win in 6
This game was the best team ever at its absolute best, annihilating a 64-win Seattle squad on its home floor behind yet another spectacular Finals effort from Jordan. He scored 36 points in 41 minutes, making all 11 free throws, as the Bulls raced out to a 24-point lead at halftime and cruised to a 108-86 victory and a 3-0 series lead. Chicago already had a comfortable lead late in the second half when Jordan decided to go for the kill, scoring 15 points in the final four minutes of the second quarter to make the second half academic.
If you think you're seeing this name a lot, there's a good reason -- this is Jordan's 11th (and last) entry, making him landlord of a quarter of the top 44 efforts.
[h3]45. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2007 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]39[/td][td]10-17[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]4-5[/td][td]13[/td][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]5[/td][td]2[/td][td]24[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 30.7 Result: Spurs 85, Cavaliers 76 Series: Spurs win in 4
Duncan's raw numbers don't look that impressive from this one, but he played only 39 minutes in the slowest-paced game mentioned on this list (the final score was 85-76). Factor that in and this one compares to his two other Game 1 masterpieces, with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, 13 rebounds, five blocked shots and one accidental in-flight removal of LeBron James' headband.
The only reason it can't rate higher is because of the overmatched opponent -- the Spurs had essentially won the title already by winning the Western Conference and these Finals were a mere formality, as San Antonio proved by winning in four.
[h3]46. Shawn Kemp, Sonics: 1996 Finals, Game 4[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]33[/td][td]12-17[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]1-1[/td][td]11[/td][td]3[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]25[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 27.5 Result: Sonics 107, Bulls 86 Series: Bulls win in 6
The Sonics were overmatched against the greatest team in history, but not Kemp. At several points he was the best player on the floor, including the Sonics' surprise 107-86 blowout of a 72-win Bulls team in Game 4 to extend the series.
Showcasing an array of spectacular aerial moves and an improving mid-range J, Reign Man poured in 25 points on 12-of-17 shooting and needed just 33 minutes to keep the Sonics alive. And while the game wasn't ultimately very meaningful, Kemp did produce the second-best per-minute Game Score in a Finals elimination game.
[h3]47. Larry Bird, Celtics: 1986 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]12-19[/td][td]4-4[/td][td]8[/td][td]7[/td][td]4[/td][td]2[/td][td]3[/td][td]31[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 33.6 Result: Celtics 117, Rockets 95 Series: Celtics win in 6
Boston's 117-95 rout of the Rockets came about largely because of a vintage Bird performance, with 31 points on just 19 shots. And he stuffed the stat sheet at both ends of the floor -- he added four steals, two blocks and not a single foul as the Celtics took a 2-0 series lead en route to their third title of the Bird Era.
On pure stats, this ranks as Bird's best Finals game ever, but we can't put it higher here because of the low magnitude -- the Celtics won easily and the series was never really in doubt.
[h3]48. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers: 1980 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]41[/td][td]14-21[/td][td]5-5[/td][td]14[/td][td]5[/td][td]0[/td][td]6[/td][td]3[/td][td]33[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.2 Result: Lakers 109, 76ers 102 Series: Lakers win in 6
We remember this series now for Magic Johnson's Game 6 and Julius Erving's aerial exploits on a reverse layup in Game 4, but for much of the first five games it was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who dominated.
That certainly was true in the opener, as Kareem set the tone for L.A. with a masterful performance that included 33 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and five assists. Even more notable was his efficiency -- he made 14-of-21 from the floor and all five of his free throw attempts in the Lakers' 109-102 win.
[h3]49. Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 2009 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]10-23[/td][td]2-5[/td][td]8-8[/td][td]6[/td][td]5[/td][td]2[/td][td]4[/td][td]1[/td][td]30[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 26.2 Result: Lakers 99, Magic 86 Series: Lakers win in 5
The clincher in Kobe's first Shaq-less title was also one of his best performances in a Finals game. Bryant scored 30 points on the Magic's stout defense and blocked four shots from his shooting guard position.
With Dwight Howard patrolling the middle for Orlando, Bryant showed off his mastery of the midrange game, as nine of his 10 baskets were jumpers. He also made all eight of his free-throw attempts in the Lakers' 99-86 win. And despite the high stakes in a closeout game on the road, he had only one turnover.
[h3]50. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2004 Finals, Game 4[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]47[/td][td]16-21[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]4-11[/td][td]20[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.2 Result: Pistons 88, Lakers 80 Series: Pistons win in 5
Phil Jackson called it a "throwback game" and lamented that the Lakers had wasted it. Going up against one of history's most dominant defensive teams, O'Neal made one contested hook shot in the lane after another to finish with 36 points and 20 rebounds in a must-win Game 4 in Detroit.
Unfortunately, the cavalry never arrived. While Shaq shot 16-of-21, his teammates shot a ghastly 17-of-57 and mustered only 44 points in the Lakers' 88-80 defeat. The Lakers unraveled down the stretch after going into the fourth quarter tied, including a costly T on Kobe Bryant and a yelling match between Shaq and a teammate on the sideline, and as it turns out this game marked the last hurrah for the Shaq Era in L.A. -- the Lakers were blown out in Game 5 to close the series and O'Neal would be traded to Miami after the season.
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]13-27[/td][td]2-5[/td][td]10-12[/td][td]7[/td][td]5[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]38[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 35.2 Result: Bulls 90, Jazz 88 Series: Bulls win in 6
Based solely on production, this game ranks high, but not at the top -- even after adjusting for pace and opponent, 15 other Finals games outrank it, including six by Jordan.
But in terms of impact and obstacles, "The Flu Game" is the most amazing thing I've ever seen. For starters, this was the deciding game of the series. Tied at two games apiece heading into Game 5, the win in Utah's hostile Delta Center essentially clinched a hard-fought championship for Chicago.
Of course, there were the obstacles Jordan faced thanks to a bout of food poisoning that would have rendered mere mortals unable to play. In total, though, this game represents the pinnacle of Jordan's greatness -- the combination of one-in-a-million talent with one-in-a-million drive.
Looking like he'd pass out at any moment during stoppages of play, Jordan nonetheless rallied the Bulls from an early 16-point deficit and dialed it up late, scoring 15 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter. The last points came on a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left in a tie game when Bryon Russell inexplicably left him to double Scottie Pippen in the post. That bucket would provide the winning points in the 90-88 victory, after which Jordan slumped toward the bench in total exhaustion.
Despite how ill he was, Jordan sat out only four minutes and held Jeff Hornacek to just seven points on 2-of-11 shooting. Between the incredibly high stakes and the singular determination he showed, this has to rank as the greatest Finals performance of the post-merger era.
[h3]2. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1980 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]47[/td][td]14-23[/td][td]14-14[/td][td]15[/td][td]7[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]42[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.5 Result: Lakers 123, 76ers 107 Series: Lakers win in 6
Years before Don Nelson invented the point-forward position, Magic Johnson, who was in his rookie season, played the most important game of the Lakers' season as a point-center. With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had been dominating the series, sidelined by an ankle injury as the Lakers headed to Philadelphia for Game 6, the consensus was that L.A. would need to take their lumps and then return home for a Game 7 rubber match.
Magic had other plans. Starting at center, he played all but one minute and exploded for 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, including an impressive 14-of-14 from the line. While Magic wasn't technically playing center for much of the night -- Jim Chones and Mark Landsberger handled that -- he played every spot on the floor during the course of the evening and even launched a Kareem-style skyhook from the post to start the game. More importantly, his work on the boards was a huge factor in the Lakers' ability to overcome Kareem's absence.
Had there not been such high stakes or a need to switch positions, this was still an impressive performance, ranking 13th-best in Game Score among post-merger Finals games. And the final score doesn't indicate how important Johnson's performance was. The Lakers were clinging to a two-point lead with just over five minutes left before Magic scored nine points in L.A.'s closing kick.
Add in that it was a title-clincher and that the rookie was forced into a role he had never manned that season, and it's easy to see why this was one of the most memorable performances in history -- for those few who saw it in person, and for the many who watched it later that night on CBS, by tape delay, because the practice at the time was to televise Finals games after prime time.
[h3]3. James Worthy, Lakers: 1988 Finals, Game 7[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]15-22[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]16[/td][td]10[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]5[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.2 Result: Lakers 108, Pistons 105 Series: Lakers win in 7
Worthy's Hall of Fame case would have been much more difficult without this game. "Big Game James," they called him, and this was his biggest.
In one of the most hotly contested Finals in history, Worthy exploded for 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in the rubber match to allow L.A. to escape with a narrow 108-105 victory. For his efforts, Worthy won the Finals MVP and the Lakers became the league's first back-to-back champions in almost two decades.
Less well-known is that this game may be the greatest outlier in Finals history. In the entirety of the 1987-88 season, Worthy didn't have a single game with more than 12 rebounds. He also had only one game with more than 32 points and only one with double-digit assists. The odds of doing any one of these things against a team like the Pistons were small … but the chances of all three? Infinitesimal. In fact, it was the only triple-double of his 1,069-game career (including playoffs).
Yet there's no doubting how important Worthy was in that postseason. He averaged 21.1 points and shot 52.3 percent in the playoffs. Also overlooked is that he had 28 points and nine rebounds as the Lakers won by a whisker in Game 6.
Worthy's Game 7 eruption was the 14th-highest Finals Game Score of the post-merger era and the best by far in a seventh game. And the Lakers needed every one of those points, rebounds and assists to emerge victorious.
[h3]4. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1998 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]15-35[/td][td]3-7[/td][td]12-15[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]45[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.9 Result: Bulls 87, Jazz 86 Series: Bulls win in 6
Jordan's two most memorable moments both came in Utah, and this one would be his last in a Bulls uniform. Just a year and three days after his miraculous Game 5, Chicago's "Last Dance" squad was trying to walk into the sunset with a sixth championship.
The Bulls trailed by three in the final minute before Jordan took over. He made a running layup to pull the Bulls within one, then broke away from a cutting Jeff Hornacek to surprise an unsuspecting Karl Malone in the post and steal the ball. Jordan took the ball himself up court, nudged Bryon Russell aside and launched the now-famous jumper from the foul line to put the Bulls ahead with 5.2 seconds left. (Quick trivia fact: Ask any fan who took the last shot of this game and I bet they say Jordan. It was John Stockton, who missed a 3 at the buzzer.)
In sheer statistical terms, this game was good but unexceptional by Jordan's lofty standards. He finished with 45 points, a jaw-dropping total for a game that ended 87-86, but shot only 15 of 35 from the field and had just one assist and one rebound.
On the other hand, it was a road closeout game, the Jazz of the mid-'90s were probably the best non-championship team in league history and Jordan owned the final minute. Additionally, this Game 6 was a bit like a Game 7 for Chicago -- Scottie Pippen had hurt his back and was essentially useless, and the rubber match would have been in Utah. Finally, the historical ramifications were huge, and the replays are still shown, which is why everyone who saw MJ's shot remembers it like it was yesterday.
[h3]5. Karl Malone, Jazz: 1998 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]17-27[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]5-6[/td][td]9[/td][td]5[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]39[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 40.8 Result: Jazz 83, Bulls 81 Series: Bulls win in 6
In the 33 Finals since the merger, this was the single best performance by a player whose team didn't win the series. Facing elimination, on the road, against one of the greatest teams of all time, Malone provided one glaring counterpoint to his less-than-scintillating playoff résumé by single-handedly dominating the Bulls.
Single-covered by all-world defender Dennis Rodman for much of the night, Malone converted an endless procession of mid-range turnaround jumpers from the left side (one of the most difficult shots in the game). Malone finished with 39 points on 17-of-27 shooting, added nine rebounds and five assists and had just one turnover.
Malone produced the second-highest Game Score in Finals history, as only Tim Duncan's 2003 annihilation of New Jersey in Game 1 ranks higher. However, we can't put Malone's performance any higher because it wasn't ultimately meaningful, as the Jazz lost Game 6 and the series. (Although Malone had a crucial turnover at the end, I should point out he played nearly as well in that contest, with 31 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.)
[h3]6. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2003 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]11-17[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]10-14[/td][td]20[/td][td]6[/td][td]3[/td][td]7[/td][td]1[/td][td]32[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 43.3 Result: Spurs 101, Nets 89 Series: Spurs win in 6
This is perfect: The top-rated Duncan game is one that absolutely nobody remembers. However, Duncan's Game 1 annihilation of the Nets was not only his personal-best Finals performance, but the ridiculous 43.3 is the top Game Score for any Finals game of the post-merger era -- and he did it against an elite defensive team.
It would be hard to find a game that greater exemplifies Duncan's understated excellence. The 2003 Finals were low on sex appeal because San Antonio and New Jersey both were small-market teams, but it was a gritty series that required Duncan's best.
In the opener, he more than delivered.
Going up against two of the better defensive centers of the decade in Jason Collins and Dikembe Mutombo, Duncan ripped off 32 points, 20 rebounds, seven blocks, six assists and three steals. He even shot 10-for-14 from the free throw line and he had only one turnover.
Duncan broke open a tie game at the half by scoring 24 of his 32 points after the break, and was only two steals away from the only "five-by-five" in Finals history.
[h3]7. Isiah Thomas, Pistons: 1988 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]18-32[/td][td]5-7[/td][td]3[/td][td]8[/td][td]6[/td][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]43[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.8 Result: Lakers 103, Pistons 102 Series: Lakers win in 7
This was the best Finals game ever by a player whose team lost. Nobody who saw this game will ever forget Thomas' sheer determination in rattling off 25 of his 43 points in the third quarter despite spraining his ankle midway through the quarter when he landed on Michael Cooper's foot. Thomas had just scored 14 straight points, but limped to the sideline.
Not for long, however. With the Pistons one win away from a first-ever championship, he re-entered the game after half a minute and bravely hopped along … and kept scoring. The shot of Isiah hopping back upcourt after making a transition layup is a highlight-reel staple, as is his crashing into Cooper while banking in a 3 for a 4-point play. He finished with 41 points, eight assists and six steals, with the only blemish being a missed shot in the last minute that helped L.A. escape with a 103-102 victory.
Thomas' 36.8 Game Score is very nearly the best by any player in a losing effort ever, and given the stakes and the fact he was hopping for the final 16 minutes, it ranks as one of the best and most memorable Finals performances ever.
[h3]8. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1991 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]36[/td][td]15-18[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]3-4[/td][td]7[/td][td]13[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]33[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 40.1 Result: Bulls 107, Lakers 86 Series: Bulls win in 5
This game is less memorable for the overall performance than it is for a single moment: Jordan flying down the lane with the ball extended in his right hand, then switching hands in midair, twisting around Sam Perkins and laying it in with the left. It's been one of the go-to Jordan highlights ever since (not to mention one of the go-to Marv Albert highlights), but Jordan's entire Game 2 body of work was incredible.
He made 13 straight shots in the second half, and although Chicago eventually won the series easily, the stakes were pretty high at the time: The Bulls had lost Game 1 at home and were in danger of trailing 2-0 heading to L.A.
Jordan wouldn't allow it, getting Chicago back on track by making 15 of 18 from the field, scoring 33 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the Bulls' 107-86 win. Amazingly, Jordan had only two points in the first 20 minutes before erupting to spur the Chicago rout.
It was the fifth-highest Game Score in post-merger Finals history. Even better, he did in just 36 minutes because he wasn't needed in garbage time. On a per-minute basis, only one other game -- Jordan's Game 1 against Portland in 1991 -- ranked higher.
[h3]9. Dwyane Wade, Heat: 2006 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]14-26[/td][td]1-2[/td][td]13-18[/td][td]13[/td][td]2[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]42[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.1 Result: Heat 98, Mavericks 96 Series: Heat win in 6
The Heat seemed all but dead when they trailed Dallas by 13 points with 6:34 left in Game 3. Already down 2-0 in the series, Miami rallied thanks to Wade's explosion down the stretch. He scored 12 points in the final six minutes to finish with 42 points and 13 rebounds, and Miami improbably came back to win by two on a late Gary Payton jumper. Wade broke up a pass on the Mavs' final play to clinch the victory and start the Heat's streak of four straight wins to claim the championship.
Wade made five of seven shots in Miami's late rally and came up with the game's most important rebound when Dirk Nowitzki's potential game-tying free throw caromed off the rim with three seconds left.
Even before that point, Wade did all he could to keep the Heat in the game. Wade's forays to the rim yielded 18 free throw attempts; he had only one turnover in 43 minutes on the court; and he scored or assisted on 13 of the Heat's 19 points in the first 15 minutes of the second half, as the Heat's nine-point halftime lead turned into a double-digit deficit because of a lack of production by Wade's teammates. As it turns out, he didn't need much help.
[h3]10. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1992 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]34[/td][td]16-27[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]1-1[/td][td]3[/td][td]11[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]39[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 38.3 Result: Bulls 122, Blazers 89 Series: Bulls win in 6
Here's another Jordan performance that needs just a three-word description: The Shrug Game. After Jordan made his sixth 3-pointer of the first half to finish with a record 35 points at the break, he turned to the broadcast table and shrugged as if to say, "I can't explain it, either."
Jordan riddled the Blazers with one of the most efficient offensive performances in Finals history, scoring 39 points on 16-of-27 shooting and handing out 11 assists. He had only one turnover and was needed only for 34 minutes because the Bulls ran away to a 122-89 win over Portland.
On a per-minute basis, Jordan produced the best Game Score in post-merger Finals history; his final mark of 38.3 wasn't too shabby, either. And Chicago would ultimately need all he produced, as the Bulls didn't outlast the stubborn Blazers until rallying to win in Game 6.
[h3]11. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1993 Finals, Game 4[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]46[/td][td]21-37[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]13-18[/td][td]8[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]55[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 40.7 Result: Bulls 111, Suns 105 Series: Bulls win in 6
Of all Jordan's great Finals games, this one produced the highest Game Score -- 40.7, which also is the third-highest of any game in the post-merger era.
It was an important one, too, as Jordan scored 55 points and made a key basket and free throw late to help the Bulls hold off a game Suns squad. This was the only one of the six games won by the home team, and it wasn't by much: 111-105.
It happened largely because MJ erupted for his double-nickel while committing just one turnover. The scary part is that he left points on the table, finishing 13-of-18 from the line, and as a result narrowly missed providing more than half his team's points.
[h3]12. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers: 1980 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]41[/td][td]16-24[/td][td]8-9[/td][td]15[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]5[/td][td]40[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.2 Result: Lakers 108, 76ers 103 Series: Lakers win in 6
Because of what Magic Johnson did in Game 6, everyone forgets what Kareem did in Game 5. Determined to win his first championship since heading west, Kareem dominated early but sprained his ankle in the second half and went to the locker room with 26 points.
Foreshadowing Isiah Thomas' performance in the same arena eight years later, Kareem came back and scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, including a key dunk and free throw in the final minute to snap a 103-103 tie, as the Lakers won 108-103 and took a 3-2 series lead. His ankle would be too sore for him to make the trip to Philly for the clincher, setting the stage for Magic's heroics.
In Game 5, Abdul-Jabbar finished with 40 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, making 16-of-24 from the field and 8-of-9 from the line. While his Game Score isn't as impressive as his stat line due to the breakneck pace of the series, Abdul-Jabbar's effort is phenomenal once one considers the high stakes and his returning to dominate the fourth quarter while playing on a bad wheel.
[h3]13. Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 2009 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]38[/td][td]16-34[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]8-8[/td][td]8[/td][td]8[/td][td]2[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]40[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.9 Result: Lakers 100, Magic 75 Series: Lakers win in 5
Most of Bryant's most memorable playoff performances have come in earlier rounds, but the opener of the 2009 Finals was a glaring exception. Bryant needed only 38 minutes to shred Orlando's esteemed defense for 40 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the Lakers cruised to a 100-75 Game 1 win that pointed them toward an eventual title. Included in the onslaught was an 18-point, two-assist explosion to start the third quarter in which he scored or assisted on 23 of 27 Lakers points; by the time he was done, a 10-point halftime bulge had ballooned to 25.
While the stakes weren't as high as in some of the other games on this list, Bryant's performance takes on added weight when viewed on a per-minute basis, especially after adjusting for the strength of an Orlando defense that featured Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard. On an opponent-adjusted, per-minute basis, Bryant's effort was the fourth-best of the post-merger era.
[h3]14. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2000 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]21-31[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]1-6[/td][td]19[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]2[/td][td]43[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 40.2 Result: Lakers 104, Pacers 87 Series: Lakers win in 6
This was the self-proclaimed Most Dominant Ever at his most dominant, overwhelming Indiana's frontcourt with his sheer power and quickness with one earth-shaking dunk after another. O'Neal had 12 layups and dunks en route to a 43-point, 19-rebound tour de force, registering his best Finals game in his first one in an L.A. uniform.
While single-handedly trashing the Pacers in the 104-87 win, Shaq produced the fourth-best Game Score in post-merger Finals history, clicking in at 40.22 despite shooting 1-of-6 from the free throw line. His 21 field goals (out of 31 shots) were one short of a Finals record.
The performance was the best of a monstrous Finals in which O'Neal averaged 38.0 points and 16.7 rebounds and shot 61.1 percent, winning the first of three straight Finals MVPs as L.A. beat the Pacers in six. This being L.A., Shaq's domination was only the second-most memorable thing about this game, the purple wig worn by Salma Hayek taking top honors.
[h3]15. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1992 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]14-23[/td][td]2-4[/td][td]16-19[/td][td]5[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]46[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.3 Result: Bulls 119, Blazers 106 Series: Bulls win in 6
This may be the most underrated game of Jordan's career, mostly because the game wasn't that close. But it was certainly important. The Bulls were tied at two games apiece with Portland and were playing on the road in Game 5. Jordan dominated, scoring 46 points and helping the Bulls open a 20-point lead en route to a 119-106 win.
This wasn't a game where Jordan filled the stat sheet, but he was so effective as a scorer it didn't matter. He earned 19 free throw attempts and shot 14-of-23 from the field, including two made 3-pointers. As a result, his true shooting percentage was a phenomenal 73.3. Additionally, he was part of a voracious Chicago defense that forced 18 Portland turnovers.
The win ultimately became important because the Bulls rallied to win Game 6 in Chicago and take their second straight championship. That victory was driven largely by the bench, but if not for Jordan's spectacular Game 5 it would have meant little.
[h3]16. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2002 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]41[/td][td]14-23[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]12-14[/td][td]12[/td][td]8[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]40[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 38.2 Result: Lakers 106, Nets 83 Series: Lakers win in 4
While we'd all like to pretend the real Finals were between L.A. and Sacramento in 2002, that's not what the league record book says. Instead it was the Lakers' four-game thrashing of the Nets that closed the season, with Shaq's Game 2 performance symbolic of the rout.
Believe it or not, he made 12-of-14 from the line, and with his Achilles' heel becoming a strength for one night it made Shaq virtually unguardable in the Lakers' 106-83 win. He finished two assists shy of a triple-double and had six dunks in the first half alone. When the Nets cut a 20-point deficit to nine with Shaq on the bench, he returned to re-establish order as L.A. put the game away with a 23-6 run.
Shaq's Game Score of 38.2 makes him the only player besides Michael Jordan to have two Finals games with a score above 38; this one was the eighth-highest of the post-merger era.
[h3]17. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2001 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]45[/td][td]12-19[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]4-10[/td][td]20[/td][td]9[/td][td]1[/td][td]8[/td][td]5[/td][td]28[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.1 Result: Lakers 98, 76ers 89 Series: Lakers win in 5
While the 2001 Finals ultimately weren't close, O'Neal delivered a monster game in its most dangerous moment. After the Lakers dropped the opener at home, O'Neal nearly had a quadruple-double in Game 2 with 28 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and eight blocks in the Lakers' 98-89 win.
O'Neal missed six of his 10 free throws, hurting his Game Score, but it still ranks as one of his top Finals games, and one can argue few of his performances were as crucial as this one.
Shaq sat out for only three minutes, which came after he got his fifth foul midway through the fourth quarter and the Sixers immediately went on a 13-3 run. But he came back and took over, assisting on a Derek Fisher 3-pointer and then making a short hook shot in the final minute to clinch it.
[h3]18. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1997 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]45[/td][td]11-20[/td][td]1-2[/td][td]15-21[/td][td]13[/td][td]9[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]5[/td][td]38[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 39.3 Result: Bulls 97, Jazz 85 Series: Bulls win in 6
Here's an amazing testament to Jordan's greatness: He had 38 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and his team won the game ... yet of the Bulls' four victories in the 1997 Finals, this one probably ranks a distant fourth in terms of memorable Jordan moments.
There was no Flu Game (Game 5), no buzzer-beater (as in Game 1) and no dish-off to Steve Kerr (Game 6). It was just a run of the mill Jordan butt-kicking to put the Bulls up 2-0 before heading to Utah. Jordan dominated as the Bulls built a 19-point lead after three quarters and cruised to a 97-85 win.
Jordan finished one assist shy of a triple-double, getting to the line so often he finished with more free throw attempts (21) than field goal attempts (20). His 39.3 Game Score ranks sixth on the list.
[h3]19. Dwyane Wade, Heat: 2006 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]45[/td][td]10-18[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]16-21[/td][td]10[/td][td]5[/td][td]4[/td][td]3[/td][td]5[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.9 Result: Heat 95, Mavericks 92 Series: Heat win in 6
Wade had one of the best close-out games ever in the clincher against Dallas, and gets bonus points for doing it on the road. He riddled the Dallas defense with his penetration, earning 21 free throws for his efforts, and finished with 36 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks as the Heat rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit for the 95-92 win.
The main blemish on Wade's performance was the pair of free throws he missed with 10 seconds left, giving the Mavs one final chance to tie. But he scored 11 points in the final quarter, including a pair from the stripe moments earlier. When Jason Terry's 3-pointer for the tie missed, Wade corralled the rebound as the buzzer went off and Miami had its first-ever championship.
[h3]20. Hakeem Olajuwon, Rockets: 1994 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]11-21[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]8-8[/td][td]10[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]2[/td][td]30[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 29.7 Result: Rockets 86, Knicks 84 Series: Rockets win in 7
The standout performer in what was otherwise one of the league's least appealing Finals, Olajuwon makes the top 20 not only for his statistical output, but for the high stakes and his outrageously good defense. Fittingly, the game ended with Olajuwon blocking a last-second attempt by New York's John Starks after switching off Patrick Ewing on a pick-and-roll, allowing Houston to emerge with the 86-84 win.
Matched up against Ewing, Olajuwon destroyed his counterpart over the seven games, but this was the best of the bunch. He scored 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting against New York's suffocating defense, but the equally prominent story was his D on the fellow Hall of Famer -- Ewing shot just 6-for-20.
[h3]21. Manu Ginobili, Spurs: 2005 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]32[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]4-5[/td][td]11-13[/td][td]3[/td][td]7[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]27[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 33.1 Result: Spurs 97, Pistons 76 Series: Spurs win in 7
This one is probably the most underrated Finals performance in history. Ginobili played only 32 minutes but shredded one of the greatest defensive teams of all time while he was on the court. He finished with 27 points and seven assists while missing only two shots; even his at-the-time erratic 3-point shot found the net on four of his five attempts, and he added three steals at the defensive end in the Spurs' 97-76 rout.
Ginobili's Game Score isn't overwhelming, but on a per-minute, opponent-adjusted basis this one is an all-timer -- only two other efforts in the post-merger era rate higher than his 45.3 per 40 minutes. (Those two, if you're curious, are Michael Jordan's Game 1 against Portland in 1992, and MJ's Game 2 against the Lakers in 1991.)
And while the outcome of the individual game didn't swing on Ginobili's performance, the same can't be said of the series -- San Antonio prevailed in seven games largely because of Ginobili's efforts as Tim Duncan's prime sidekick.
[h3]22. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2000 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]47[/td][td]19-32[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]3-12[/td][td]12[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]41[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.9 Result: Lakers 116, Pacers 111 Series: Lakers win in 6
Shaq dominated as the Lakers beat Indiana 116-111 to win his first championship, and the only reason it doesn't rank higher is because he was a non-factor down the stretch. Indiana went to the Hack-A-Shaq with just over two minutes left and O'Neal missed three of four from the line, causing the Lakers to take him out of the game.
Up to that point, however, O'Neal was the main reason the Lakers maintained a small lead, trashing the Indy D for 41 points on 19-of-32 shooting and, amazingly, not committing a turnover. O'Neal added 12 boards and four blocks, producing one of the best Game Scores for any closeout game despite his usual brickfest from the line, where he finished 3-of-12.
O'Neal also completed a rare triple with this game, becoming the third player in history to win MVP of the regular season, the All-Star Game and the Finals in the same campaign.
[h3]23. Larry Bird, Celtics: 1986 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]46[/td][td]8-17[/td][td]11-12[/td][td]11[/td][td]12[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]29[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.8 Result: Celtics 114, Rockets 97 Series: Celtics win in 6
Bird had surprisingly few high-rating Finals games, but this one was an exception. He helped the Celtics finish off Houston with a triple-double as Boston ended the season with a remarkable (and still a record) 50-1 mark at Boston Garden.
Additionally, this game features one of the memorable moments in the Bird collection -- when he caught the ball near the block in the fourth quarter and dribbled in serpentine fashion out to the 3-point line for a dagger 3-pointer to put the game away.
[h3]24. Bill Walton, Trail Blazers: 1977 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]8-15[/td][td]4-5[/td][td]23[/td][td]7[/td][td]0[/td][td]8[/td][td]N/A[/td][td]20[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 24.0 Result: Blazers 109, 76ers 107 Series: Blazers win in 6
We don't have turnover data from 1977 so we can only estimate how good Walton was in terms of Game Score. The Blazers had 18 turnovers in Game 6 and one presumes Walton had at least a couple of them, which would hurt his score.
Here's what we know, however: He filled the stat sheet like few others ever have in a game of such magnitude. As Portland secured its only NBA title, Walton had 20 points (relatively few for somebody on this list) but supplemented that with 23 boards, seven assists and eight blocked shots in the Blazers' 109-107 win. And his defense was as important as his offense -- prior to that famous miss by George McGinnis at the end, Walton had challenged a Julius Erving jumper to force a miss.
Incredibly, neither Walton nor the Blazers had ever appeared in a playoff game before starting their run to the title that spring.
[h3]25. Cedric Maxwell, Celtics: 1984 Finals, Game 7[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]5-10[/td][td]14-17[/td][td]8[/td][td]8[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]24[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 24.0 Result: Celtics 111, Lakers 102 Series: Celtics win in 7
In a strict statistical sense, this was not on par with some of the other great Finals performances. But in terms of a stage, it's hard to get bigger than this one. In the most important game of the most epic Finals in league annals -- the one that basically launched the NBA into its heyday -- it was not Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Kevin McHale who was the best player on the floor. It was Cedric Maxwell.
Amazingly, he'd had the stones to tell his teammates, "Climb on my back, boys," before Game 7, then backed it up on the court. "Cornbread" finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists -- more than doubling his regular-season scoring average -- as well as a crucial steal from Johnson in the final minute that helped seal the Celtics' 111-102 win.
Maxwell never made an All-Star team or an All-NBA squad, but in addition to his heroics in the '84 clincher he was Finals MVP in 1981.
[h3]26. Allen Iverson, 76ers: 2001 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]52[/td][td]18-41[/td][td]3-8[/td][td]9-9[/td][td]5[/td][td]6[/td][td]5[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]48[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 35.0 Result: 76ers 107, Lakers 101 (OT) Series: Lakers win in 5
The 2001 Lakers lost only one playoff game, and it was when The Answer went off for 48 points in the first game of the Finals. On highlight reels, this one is well-known for Iverson's battle with nemesis Tyronn Lue, including the moment in the right corner when Iverson shook Lue, nailed a jumper and then stepped over the fallen Laker.
Iverson had 30 by halftime to stun the L.A. crowd, and rallied again in overtime with a clutch 3-pointer to ice the game in Philly's 107-101 win -- finishing off a 13-2 Philadelphia run.
While Iverson got his points in typically Iversonian fashion -- he launched 41 shots -- he filled his stat sheet with six assists, five steals and only three turnovers. His Game Score isn't as high on a per-minute basis because he played 52 minutes on the night, but for sheer impact this game has few peers.
[h3]27. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1991 Finals, Game 4[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]11-20[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]5[/td][td]13[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]28[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.3 Result: Bulls 97, Lakers 82 Series: Bulls win in 5
Another one that goes in Jordan's "routine awesomeness" file. It wasn't a closeout game, and the Bulls wound up winning the series in five, so it doesn't rate as high as some of the others in terms of importance.
Nonetheless, Jordan was fantastic. Playing on the road after taking a 2-1 series lead in the previous game, it would have been easy for the young Bulls to take their foot off the gas. Instead Jordan scored 28 points on just 20 shots, handing out 13 assists and committing only one turnover, as the Bulls took control of the series and paved the way to their first title with a 97-82 pasting of the Lakers.
[h3]28. Adrian Dantley, Pistons: 1988 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]14-16[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]4[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]34[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 29.2 Result: Pistons 105, Lakers 93 Series: Lakers win in 7
The upstart Pistons came into Los Angeles and surprised the Lakers in the series opener thanks largely to Dantley's indomitable evening. He made 14-of-16 shots from the field and 6-of-7 from the line, torching the Lakers for 34 points in the Pistons' 105-93 win.
While Dantley didn't fill the box score the way some of the others on this list did -- he had only four rebounds and four assists in his 43 minutes -- Dantley's phenomenal 89.1 true shooting mark for this game was the best of any considered for the top 50. Although it wasn't ultimately very meaningful, as Detroit narrowly lost in seven games, it was potentially huge -- had Detroit won either of the close shaves in Games 6 and 7, Dantley's electric Game 1 would have been the catalyst for the Pistons' first title.
[h3]29. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1988 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]45[/td][td]5-12[/td][td]12-13[/td][td]4[/td][td]19[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]22[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.1 Result: Lakers 103, Pistons 102 Series: Lakers win in 7
Everyone remembers how awesome Isiah Thomas was in this game. And as a result, everyone forgets about Magic. With his team's back to the wall with a 3-2 deficit in Game 6, Johnson delivered one of his best-ever Finals performances with 22 points and 19 assists.
It was an incredibly efficient performance against Detroit's robust D. Johnson took only 12 shots, but made 12-of-13 from the line and his assist onslaught was offset by only two turnovers. Johnson also had eight of his 22 in the final quarter, including a transition finger-roll with 1:44 to put L.A. ahead for the moment.
The Lakers needed all those points, trailing by three points with 60 seconds left and rallying for a 103-102 win on two Kareem Abdul-Jabbar free throws with 14 seconds left.
(My favorite part: Byron Scott and Michael Cooper running after Dennis Rodman like they were about to kill him after Rodman fouled Scott in the backcourt with five seconds left. In 2010, that's definitely a tech and Detroit ties the game. In 1988? Please.)
[h3]30. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2002 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]12-19[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]11-17[/td][td]11[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]2[/td][td]35[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 32.0 Result: Lakers 106, Nets 103 Series: Lakers win in 4
Yep, we're back to Shaq's demolition of the Nets. I know, boooo-ring. But it was boring because Shaq had New Jersey so completely overwhelmed. Game 3 in New Jersey was a good example. With the series shifting back to the Swamp, it was the Nets' one chance to provide some interest.
Instead, Shaq's 35 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks allowed the Lakers to prevail 106-103 in the closest game of the series. The Big Diesel even made 11 of his 17 free throws, supplementing a 12-of-19 effort from the field, and drew 15 fouls on New Jersey's centers. He also made two key plays in the final minute, hitting a short bank shot with 58 seconds left to put L.A. up by four and then blocking a shot by Jason Kidd at the other end.
[h3]31. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers: 1985 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]29[/td][td]13-18[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]6[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]32[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 27.0 Result: Lakers 111, Celtics 100 Series: Lakers win in 6
Kareem was 38 years old but showed renewed vigor to remove an orca-sized monkey from the franchise's back -- the Lakers finally beat Boston in the Finals, and did so while becoming the first franchise to clinch a title in Boston Garden.
Boston trailed 3-2 but figured homecourt advantage in the final two games could lift it past L.A. Kareem had other ideas. He showed the full arsenal, even leading a 2-on-1 break at one point and delivering a textbook stop-at-the-foul-line bounce pass to Kurt Rambis for a layup.
Kareem's final tally included 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting, four blocks, and not a single turnover, as the Lakers prevailed 111-100, and he won Finals MVP for his efforts.
[h3]32. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 1999 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]13-21[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]7-10[/td][td]16[/td][td]2[/td][td]2[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]33[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.0 Result: Spurs 89, Knicks 77 Series: Spurs win in 5
Spurs-Knicks was one of the least sexy series of all time, further diminished by the lockout that robbed the league of nearly half its season. But Duncan owned the Spurs' 89-77 win in the opener. He dominated New York with 33 points and 16 rebounds -- those coming in a series in which the average score was in the low 80s -- to set the tone for the Spurs' five-game series win.
The performance also set the tone for Duncan in Game 1s. Against New Jersey in 2003 he produced the highest-rated Finals game since the merger, and his Game 1 against Cleveland in 2007 also cracks the list … with that trio of series openers providing his three highest-rated Finals games.
[h3]33. Ben Wallace, Pistons: 2004 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]8-13[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]2-6[/td][td]22[/td][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]18[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 24.3 Result: Pistons 100, Lakers 87 Series: Pistons win in 5
You could put almost any of Wallace's five games in this series on the list and not get a huge argument; it's tough to know where to put them because nearly all his value came at the defensive end. Here's what we do know: A Lakers squad with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant looked like a JV team against the Pistons' defensive might, and that was largely a result of Big Ben (who was in reality several inches shorter than most other NBA centers) patrolling the middle.
Game 5, the title clincher, was probably the pinnacle. Wallace not only made an unusually large offensive contribution -- 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting -- but was also his usual dominant self inside, grabbing 22 rebounds, picking three steals and holding Shaq to 20 points as Detroit routed L.A. 100-87 to complete a stunning five-game upset.
[h3]34. Karl Malone, Jazz: 1997 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]42[/td][td]15-29[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]7-10[/td][td]10[/td][td]3[/td][td]4[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]37[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.3 Result: Jazz 104, Bulls 93 Series: Bulls win in 6
Here's another great performance that tends to get lost in the wash when people look back in history. Utah came home trailing 2-0 and desperately needed a win, and Malone put the Jazz on his back against mighty Chicago with 37 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in Utah's 104-93 win, helping the Jazz roll out to a 24-point lead before holding off a late Bulls rally.
While it wasn't ultimately meaningful because of the incredible feats of Michael Jordan in Game 5, it was enormous at the time, turning a Chicago coronation into a genuine series. It also provided a touch of redemption for Malone, who had gagged on two free throws at the end of Game 1 to allow Jordan to win the game at the buzzer.
[h3]35. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2003 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]46[/td][td]10-18[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]9-10[/td][td]17[/td][td]4[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]6[/td][td]29[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 25.7 Result: Spurs 93, Nets 83 Series: Spurs win in 6
Yes, Game 5 … not Game 6. Two of Duncan's games from New Jersey crack the list, but surprisingly, his Game 6 didn't. While he finished two blocks shy of a quadruple that night, his performance in Game 5 was both more effective (in terms of Game Score) and more important.
While it didn't have the drama of a closeout game at home to clinch the title, none of that happens without Duncan's Game 5. The Spurs were playing on the road in a series tied 2-2, and while Duncan didn't come anywhere near a quad, his offensive performance -- 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting and a rare 9-of-10 from the line -- and his usual 17 boards allowed the Spurs to outlast New Jersey in a typically gritty defensive battle.
[h3]36. Magic Johnson, Lakers: Game 1, 1988 Finals[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]8-11[/td][td]10-10[/td][td]8[/td][td]10[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]28[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 37.7 Result: Pistons 105, Lakers 93 Series: Lakers win in 7
The Pistons surprised L.A. at home in the series opener, but don't blame Magic. He had one of the most efficient Finals games ever with 28 points on 8-of-11 shooting, plus a perfect 10-of-10 from the line, and his usual 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Johnson, in fact, posted the highest Game Score ever for a player whose team lost at 37.7, nearly leading the Lakers back from a 17-point halftime deficit before a late rally fell short. Unfortunately, his squad had no answer for Detroit's Adrian Dantley, so the Pistons prevailed 105-93.
[h3]37. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1991 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]40[/td][td]14-24[/td][td]1-1[/td][td]7-9[/td][td]8[/td][td]12[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]4[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.9 Result: Lakers 93, Bulls 91 Series: Bulls win in 5
Jordan loses a few notches in the rankings because his 17-footer for the lead rattled out in the final seconds, helping the Bulls to their lone defeat of the 1991 Finals. Despite that, Jordan's first Finals game was hardly a failure. In fact, if it weren't for foul trouble that limited him to "only" 40 minutes, Chicago may very well have won anyway.
As it was, Jordan finished with an eye-popping box score -- 36 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds -- and threw in three steals for good measure. He hit 14-of-24 from the floor, and on a per-minute basis, his 36.9 Game Score is the best ever for a player whose team lost.
Although Jordan went 6-0 in Finals series, he lost both his first and last Finals games in Chicago -- this one to the Lakers, and Game 5 to the Jazz in 1998.
[h3]38. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1987 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]31[/td][td]10-17[/td][td]2-2[/td][td]5[/td][td]20[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][td]22[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 28.8 Result: Lakers 141, Celtics 122 Series: Lakers win in 6
The Celtics decided to double-team Magic in this game, and man, did they pay for it. Johnson kept going to the post and dishing out to Michael Cooper, and Cooper kept hitting 3s. By the end of the quarter he had six of them, and the Lakers were on their way to a 141-122 rout and a 2-0 series lead.
Magic conjured up 20 assists in just 31 minutes, and added 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting. While the Game Score doesn't overwhelm because he spent much of garbage time watching, on a per-minute basis this was Magic's highest-rated Finals game.
[h3]39. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1987 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]12-18[/td][td]8-8[/td][td]11[/td][td]9[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]32[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 36.9 Result: Celtics 109, Lakers 103 Series: Lakers win in 6
Magic Johnson has the two highest-rated games ever for a player whose team lost, and they came exactly one year apart. This one was Game 3 in Boston in the 1987 series after the Lakers had won the first two games at home, and unfortunately it wasn't enough.
Magic had yet another of his perfect free-throw games in the Finals -- he was 8-for-8 in this one -- and made 12 of his 18 shots from the field; he also played 43 minutes without committing a single foul. Unfortunately, one of his misses was a driving layup that was blocked by reserve center Greg Kite in the midst of the game of Kite's life, helping him become probably the only player in history to get the postgame interview despite not scoring a point.
While the Lakers fell short, Magic would get the last laugh with his "Baby Hook" shot to win Game 4 two days later, spurring L.A. to its fourth championship of the Magic era.
[h3]40. Moses Malone, 76ers: 1983 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]40[/td][td]10-19[/td][td]8-13[/td][td]19[/td][td]6[/td][td]3[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]28[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 30.2 Result: 76ers 111, Lakers 94 Series: 76ers win in 4
Because highlight films rarely show below-the-rim putbacks and tip-ins, Moses gets short shrift historically as one of the game's dominant forces in the early 1980s. You'll almost never see this mentioned anywhere, but in 1983 the best player in the game wasn't Larry or Magic, it was Moses. He won his second MVP award in three years, and while his "fo', fo', fo'" Sixers had to settle for winning the title in 13 games and not his promised 12, Philly dominated thanks to the big guy.
Game 3 in Los Angeles was symbolic of his dominance, as Malone removed any threat of the Lakers' climbing back into the series with a 28-point, 19-rebound, six-assist, three-steal masterpiece in the Sixers' 111-94 rout that gave them a 3-0 series lead.
[h3]41. Scottie Pippen, Bulls: 1992 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]33[/td][td]8-14[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]8-9[/td][td]9[/td][td]10[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]24[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 29.9 Result: Bulls 122, Blazers 89 Series: Bulls win in 6
Michael Jordan was so good in Chicago's series-opening rout of the Blazers that it's easy to overlook what a devastating force Pippen was that day. With a near triple-double -- 24 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists -- in only 33 minutes of action, Pippen had the best "sidekick" Game Score of any player in post-merger Finals history. (That is, the best by anyone not posting the top Game Score on his team.)
In fact, on a per-minute basis it stands up extremely well on its own. In 34 Game 1s since the merger, only four players have posted a higher per-minute Game Score in at least 30 minutes of action. Given the electric performances by the Bulls' two superstars, it's no big surprise that they won by 33 points.
[h3]42. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1993 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]40[/td][td]18-36[/td][td]2-2[/td][td]4-5[/td][td]12[/td][td]9[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]5[/td][td]42[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.9 Result: Bulls 111, Suns 108 Series: Bulls win in 6
This was the first of four straight 40-point games Jordan would have in the Finals, doubling the previous record of consecutive 40-point outings, and the Bulls would need all 42 of his points in topping Phoenix -- and outgunning Charles Barkley, who had 42 of his own -- as Chicago won 111-108 to take a 2-0 series lead.
While the win seemingly gave Chicago a commanding lead heading back home for three games, it ultimately became hugely important because the Suns won twice in the Windy City. Jordan needed 36 shots to get his points, so it wasn't his most efficient night ever, but he also added 12 rebounds and nine assists in 40 minutes of action.
[h3]43. Kevin Garnett: 2008 Finals, Game 6[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]35[/td][td]10-18[/td][td]0-1[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]14[/td][td]4[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]0[/td][td]26[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 28.8 Result: Celtics 131, Lakers 92 Series: Celtics win in 6
Garnett wasn't needed for extended duty -- just 36 minutes -- because he spent much of the final quarter celebrating on the sideline during the Celtics' 131-92 title-clinching romp at the hands of the rival Lakers. The signature moment was Garnett converting a short bank shot late in the second quarter while getting fouled by Lamar Odom. Garnett exulted on the floor with his arms raised, as the play put the Celtics up by 21 and gave the arena the sense that the rout was on.
It was, with Garnett delivering 26 points, 14 rebounds and the trademark intensity that made the Celtics such a fearsome defensive squad that season. He did most of his damage early, too, scoring 17 before the break as the Celtics went into halftime with a 23-point lead.
[h3]44. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1996 Finals, Game 3[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]41[/td][td]11-23[/td][td]3-4[/td][td]11-11[/td][td]3[/td][td]5[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]3[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.3 Result: Bulls 108, Sonics 86 Series: Bulls win in 6
This game was the best team ever at its absolute best, annihilating a 64-win Seattle squad on its home floor behind yet another spectacular Finals effort from Jordan. He scored 36 points in 41 minutes, making all 11 free throws, as the Bulls raced out to a 24-point lead at halftime and cruised to a 108-86 victory and a 3-0 series lead. Chicago already had a comfortable lead late in the second half when Jordan decided to go for the kill, scoring 15 points in the final four minutes of the second quarter to make the second half academic.
If you think you're seeing this name a lot, there's a good reason -- this is Jordan's 11th (and last) entry, making him landlord of a quarter of the top 44 efforts.
[h3]45. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2007 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]39[/td][td]10-17[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]4-5[/td][td]13[/td][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]5[/td][td]2[/td][td]24[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 30.7 Result: Spurs 85, Cavaliers 76 Series: Spurs win in 4
Duncan's raw numbers don't look that impressive from this one, but he played only 39 minutes in the slowest-paced game mentioned on this list (the final score was 85-76). Factor that in and this one compares to his two other Game 1 masterpieces, with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, 13 rebounds, five blocked shots and one accidental in-flight removal of LeBron James' headband.
The only reason it can't rate higher is because of the overmatched opponent -- the Spurs had essentially won the title already by winning the Western Conference and these Finals were a mere formality, as San Antonio proved by winning in four.
[h3]46. Shawn Kemp, Sonics: 1996 Finals, Game 4[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]33[/td][td]12-17[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]1-1[/td][td]11[/td][td]3[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][td]1[/td][td]25[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 27.5 Result: Sonics 107, Bulls 86 Series: Bulls win in 6
The Sonics were overmatched against the greatest team in history, but not Kemp. At several points he was the best player on the floor, including the Sonics' surprise 107-86 blowout of a 72-win Bulls team in Game 4 to extend the series.
Showcasing an array of spectacular aerial moves and an improving mid-range J, Reign Man poured in 25 points on 12-of-17 shooting and needed just 33 minutes to keep the Sonics alive. And while the game wasn't ultimately very meaningful, Kemp did produce the second-best per-minute Game Score in a Finals elimination game.
[h3]47. Larry Bird, Celtics: 1986 Finals, Game 2[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]44[/td][td]12-19[/td][td]4-4[/td][td]8[/td][td]7[/td][td]4[/td][td]2[/td][td]3[/td][td]31[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 33.6 Result: Celtics 117, Rockets 95 Series: Celtics win in 6
Boston's 117-95 rout of the Rockets came about largely because of a vintage Bird performance, with 31 points on just 19 shots. And he stuffed the stat sheet at both ends of the floor -- he added four steals, two blocks and not a single foul as the Celtics took a 2-0 series lead en route to their third title of the Bird Era.
On pure stats, this ranks as Bird's best Finals game ever, but we can't put it higher here because of the low magnitude -- the Celtics won easily and the series was never really in doubt.
[h3]48. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers: 1980 Finals, Game 1[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]41[/td][td]14-21[/td][td]5-5[/td][td]14[/td][td]5[/td][td]0[/td][td]6[/td][td]3[/td][td]33[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 31.2 Result: Lakers 109, 76ers 102 Series: Lakers win in 6
We remember this series now for Magic Johnson's Game 6 and Julius Erving's aerial exploits on a reverse layup in Game 4, but for much of the first five games it was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who dominated.
That certainly was true in the opener, as Kareem set the tone for L.A. with a masterful performance that included 33 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and five assists. Even more notable was his efficiency -- he made 14-of-21 from the floor and all five of his free throw attempts in the Lakers' 109-102 win.
[h3]49. Kobe Bryant, Lakers: 2009 Finals, Game 5[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]43[/td][td]10-23[/td][td]2-5[/td][td]8-8[/td][td]6[/td][td]5[/td][td]2[/td][td]4[/td][td]1[/td][td]30[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 26.2 Result: Lakers 99, Magic 86 Series: Lakers win in 5
The clincher in Kobe's first Shaq-less title was also one of his best performances in a Finals game. Bryant scored 30 points on the Magic's stout defense and blocked four shots from his shooting guard position.
With Dwight Howard patrolling the middle for Orlando, Bryant showed off his mastery of the midrange game, as nine of his 10 baskets were jumpers. He also made all eight of his free-throw attempts in the Lakers' 99-86 win. And despite the high stakes in a closeout game on the road, he had only one turnover.
[h3]50. Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers: 2004 Finals, Game 4[/h3]
[table][tr][th=""]MIN[/th][th=""]FGM-A[/th][th=""]3PM-A[/th][th=""]FTM-A[/th][th=""]REB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TO[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]47[/td][td]16-21[/td][td]0-0[/td][td]4-11[/td][td]20[/td][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]36[/td][/tr][/table]
Game Score: 34.2 Result: Pistons 88, Lakers 80 Series: Pistons win in 5
Phil Jackson called it a "throwback game" and lamented that the Lakers had wasted it. Going up against one of history's most dominant defensive teams, O'Neal made one contested hook shot in the lane after another to finish with 36 points and 20 rebounds in a must-win Game 4 in Detroit.
Unfortunately, the cavalry never arrived. While Shaq shot 16-of-21, his teammates shot a ghastly 17-of-57 and mustered only 44 points in the Lakers' 88-80 defeat. The Lakers unraveled down the stretch after going into the fourth quarter tied, including a costly T on Kobe Bryant and a yelling match between Shaq and a teammate on the sideline, and as it turns out this game marked the last hurrah for the Shaq Era in L.A. -- the Lakers were blown out in Game 5 to close the series and O'Neal would be traded to Miami after the season.
jpzx
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[h1]http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/67141/20100611/game_four_ratings_highest_since_2004/[/h1]
[h1]Game Four Ratings Highest Since 2004[/h1]Jun 11, 2010 4:06 PM EST
Boston's series-tying win over Los Angeles on Thursday night earned thehighest preliminary rating for Game 4 of an NBA Finals since 2004.
The Celtics defeated the Lakers 96-89 and the broadcast drew an 11.6overnight rating for ABC, which represents a six percent increase fromlast year's Orlando-Los Angeles Game 4.
at them putting Glen Davis' picture in the article and then just the pic itself
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where the hell is walt frazier's game 7?
36 points, 19 assists and five steals
once again *%%@ ESPN
36 points, 19 assists and five steals
once again *%%@ ESPN
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About time JJ's gotten some shine. I really hope the Magic resign him.
this dude was balling when VC was injured.
this dude was balling when VC was injured.
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Imma miss this thread.
I don't know if I can put up with all that foolishness in the off-season thread.
Congrats, CP...you old bastard. Glad LA got another title before you kick the bucket...
I don't know if I can put up with all that foolishness in the off-season thread.
Congrats, CP...you old bastard. Glad LA got another title before you kick the bucket...
Man, we all spent a lot of damn time in this thread. It was good times all year.
Thanks DLo, was a good year. But you know the die hards will push out the nobodies in the off season thread, same as last summers thread, so don't stray too far. By mid July after some of the dust settles all those guys will be gone and it'll be the same ol cast as always. Mike, Dirk, JA, Pro, Allen, Nas, Franchise, and everyone else that comes thru and mixes it up from time to time.
Thanks DLo, was a good year. But you know the die hards will push out the nobodies in the off season thread, same as last summers thread, so don't stray too far. By mid July after some of the dust settles all those guys will be gone and it'll be the same ol cast as always. Mike, Dirk, JA, Pro, Allen, Nas, Franchise, and everyone else that comes thru and mixes it up from time to time.
Originally Posted by DLo13
Imma miss this thread.
I don't know if I can put up with all that foolishness in the off-season thread.
Congrats, CP...you old bastard. Glad LA got another title before you kick the bucket...
I'll see y'all on the other side. Gonna try to hit up the draft this year, haven't been in a while.