NBA Playoffs 2011: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and 50 Greatest Performances Ever

Watching Carmelo Anthony trying to steer a bunch of has-beens, never-was' and not-yets to a Game 2 victory over the Boston Celtics last week was both awe-inspiring and nauseating. Anthony led all players with 42 points and 17 rebounds and nearly led New York to a win without Chauncey Billups for the whole game and Amar'e Stoudemire for most of it.

Anthony's efforts set the standard that has yet to be matched by any player thus far in the 2011 NBA playoffs, but within a historical context, they do not come close to cracking the top 50.

Or the top 63, which was my original option to honor Michael Jordan's 63-point performance against the Celtics in 1986.

Removing my rose-colored glasses as a Knicks fan, how can one put 'Melo above since-forgotten efforts like Hakeem's 49 and 25 night against the Seattle SuperSonics, or Allen Iverson dropping 50-plus twice on the Toronto Raptors?

As phenomenal as 'Melo was, somehow he doesn't come close to scratching the surface here—a testimony to how amazing the 50-best single-game performances in NBA playoff history were.

We have the familiar names (Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant) as well as the unfamiliar names (Joe Fulks, Sleepy Floyd).

We have the scoring extravaganzas (Reggie Miller's 25-point fourth quarter, MJ's six first-half three-pointers) and the versatile big men who filled the stat sheet (Tim Duncan, Bill Walton and Shaquille O'Neal coming oh-so-close to quadruple doubles).

We have performances amidst personal injury (Michael Jordan vs. flu and shooting wrist) and performances against insurmountable on-court odds (Allen Iverson vs. Los Angeles Lakers).

All in all, the best 50 performances are ranked from No. 50 to No. 1 following 20 hours of research and writing. I welcome all angry responses.

The Criteria

I didn't sit in my room and devise a mathematics-based BCS-esque formula for the rankings, but the following criteria were considered, with the most weight towards the statistics and the least weight towards teammates.

Statistics

Scoring 63 points is a lot better than scoring 31, no matter the era. But speaking of which...

The Era

Scoring 37 in the NBA's version of the dead-ball era is more impressive than scoring 37 in the high-flying 1980s, just like grabbing 20 rebounds in 1994 is more noteworthy than grabbing 20 rebounds in the pop-a-shot 1960s.

The Playoff Round

Did the player's performance come in a winner-take-all Game 7 or in Game 2 of the first round, when the pressure isn't nearly as high?

The Competition

Scoring 53 against the 1960s Boston Celtics, coming off 11 championships in 13 seasons, is eons better than scoring 53 against the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers, coming off zero championships.

The Teammates

Considered the least of all, but if Allen Iverson scores 54, he deserves extra consideration because he had to carry his team's dead carcass throughout the 2001 playoffs. One might say that's why he scored so much, but being the "Answer" every possession brings with it undue stress. Call it the LeBron effect.

Overcoming Abnormal Issues

The Michael Jordan Special. More of a bonus than anything. If a player overcame personal injury/tragedy/a second banana not coming through, he gets bumped up the rankings.

50. Rookie Russell Stars in Championship Clincher: Game 7, 1957 NBA Finals

Bill Russell's fellow rookie teammate's performance in this game was more impressive (more on that later), but scoring 19 points and grabbing 32 rebounds in any game isn't too shabby, let alone a make-or-break championship contest.

Russell's Boston Celtics defeated the St. Louis Hawks 125-123 in overtime for the first of his 11 championships in 13 years.

Did You Know?

Russell, who averaged 15 points and 20 rebounds as a rookie, was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks in 1956. However, the wily Red Auerbach traded Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan, who eventually made 12 All-Star games between them, to the Hawks for the rights to Russell. Not every day can one get the better end of a deal after trading away 12 All-Star seasons.

49. Kobe Bryant Nails 2 Buzzer-Beaters: Game 4, 2006 Western First Round

Kobe Bryant's pedestrian stats (24 points, eight assists) don't warrant a place on this list, but nailing two buzzer-beaters does.

The No. 7-seed Los Angeles Lakers came into their first-round series with the No. 2 seed Phoenix Suns as big underdogs, but any team that has the NBA's leading scorer—Kobe led the league with 35.4 points per game—has a chance in the postseason.

The Lakers were up two games to one heading into Game 4. Down 90-88, Lakers guard Smush Parker stole the inbounds pass and found a streaking Kobe, who threw in a rainbow layup as time expired.

Once again, Kobe was the hero in overtime. Following a jump ball at midcourt, Kobe dribbled the ball a few feet behind the free-throw line, and despite a smothering double team, nailed the jumper for the win.

Undeterred, the Suns won the next three games by an average of 15.3 points to take the series.

Did You Know?

Your eight-man rotation for the Lakers in Game 4:

Starters: Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, Luke Walton.

Bench: Sasha Vujacic, Devean George, Brian Cook.

This team won 45 games. How?

48. Joe Fulks Scores 21 of 37 Points in Fourth Quarter: Game 1, 1947 BAA Finals

Back when teams ran the weave and the NBA in its current form did not exist, Jumpin' Joe Fulks scored 21 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter of the Philadelphia Warriors' 84-71 victory over the Chicago Stags in Game 1 of the BAA Finals.

Fulks, a dead-eye shooter who made 30.5 percent of his field goals for 23.2 points per game in the 1946-47 season, was the league's offensive star when the BAA featured just one player who made more than 37 percent of his shots for the season (teams also averaged 67.8 PPG).

Did You Know?

The Chicago Stags missed 103 of the 129 shots they took (20.2 FG percentage) in Game 1, in the pre-shot clock era no less! The Warriors won the series in five.

47. Reggie Miller's 8 Points in 8.9 Seconds: Game 1, 1995 EC Semifinals

Every fan has seen Reggie Miller nail a three-pointer, steal an inbounds pass and turn around and nail another three-pointer to tie Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks at 105.

What he did was nothing short of incredible. Yes, his game overall was just another solid output from a superstar and future Hall of Famer (31 points, 7-18 FG, 14-15 FT), but the dagger he stuck into the Knicks' hearts still hurts the fans of the blue and orange, and his performance that day is timeless.

The Pacers were 4-28 in their last 32 games at Madison Square Garden leading into the 1995 playoffs, but went 2-2 that postseason, leading to their seven-game series win.

Did You Know?

The play-by-play of the game following Miller's three-pointers is never discussed. One could say that after Miller initially cut the lead to three, the Knicks played the most inept stretch of basketball the team has ever seen in its history. As a form of reverse catharsis for this still-bitter Knicks fan, let's look back.

105-102, 16.4 Seconds Left: Anthony Mason inbounds the ball but can't find anyone open. Greg Anthony gets tangled with Reggie Miller and slips, but Mason throws the ball in his general direction anyway to avoid a five-second call. The ball goes straight to Miller, three-pointer, tie game.

105-105, 13.2 Seconds Left: No worries. The Pacers' Sam Mitchell fouls John Starks prior to the inbounds pass being made. With the Pacers in the penalty, Starks is going to the line.

105-105, 13.2 Seconds Left: Starks, a 77-percent free-throw shooter for his career, misses both free throws.

105-105, 10 Seconds Left: Ewing grabs the loose ball off the missed free throw and hoists up a fallaway 10-footer. No good.

105-105, 7.5 Seconds Left: Miller grabs the defensive rebound and is immediately fouled by Anthony Mason. The Knicks are in the penalty with no timeouts. ARGH!!!!!!! WHY MASON?!?!?!?

107-105, 7.5 Seconds Left: Miller makes both free throws, obviously.

107-105, All Zeroes: The game ends with Greg Anthony on the floor looking for someone to pass to. My childhood naivete is over.

46. Dwyane Wade Sways Finals with 42-13 Game: Game 3, 2006 NBA Finals

The series will always be remembered for the nonsensical officiating in Game 5 (Dwyane Wade shot 25 free throws and Dallas out-fouled Miami 38-26 in the Heat's 101-100 win), but Wade proved he was an elite superstar with a Game 3 performance that saved a season.

With 42 points and 13 assists, Wade led Miami to a 98-96 win. He scored 12 points in the final six minutes of the game and broke up a game-tying alley-oop.

Did You Know?

No NBA player has played a better NBA Finals than Dwyane Wade did in 2006. His 33.8 PER is tops all time, and he averaged 34.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 3.8 APG.

45. Isiah Thomas 16 Points in 94 Seconds: Game 5, 1984 Eastern First Round

The Detroit Pistons were down eight points to the New York Knicks with under two minutes remaining, but Isiah Thomas scored 16 points in 94 seconds to send the game into overtime. New York eventually won, 127-123, because forward Bernard King had an even better game, but you can read about that later.

Thomas ended up with 35 points and 12 assists. He would get his revenge on the Knicks later, albeit internally.

Did You Know?

What's most remarkable is that Thomas only made one three-pointer during that 16-point stretch.

44. Wilt Chamberlain Grabs Playoff-Record 41 Rebounds: Game 3, 1967 East Finals

Wilt Chamberlain owns the all-time single-game rebounding record, a 55-carom night in a November 1960 loss against the Boston Celtics.

The Big Dipper probably remembered his postseason single-game record more fondly, as he had 20 points and 41 rebounds against Bill Russell and the Celtics in a 115-104 win.

Did You Know?

The 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers are one of the best teams of all-time, going 68-13 and featuring three Hall of Famers (Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham, Hal Greer).

43. Dirk Scores 22 of 50 Points in Fourth Quarter: Game 5, 2006 Western Finals

Phoenix Suns forward Tim Thomas, who has zero right to talk trash to anyone on an NBA basketball court, called Dirk Nowitzki a demeaning word that was never revealed and blew him a kiss in the second quarter.

Fueled by a scrub giving him an undeserved moniker, Nowitzki led Dallas to a 117-101 win. He scored 50 points on 14-of-26 shooting (17-of-18 free throws, 5-of-6 three pointers), including 22 in the fourth quarter that turned an 82-81 lead into a 16-point win.

Nowitzki also grabbed 12 boards, but the most remarkable scoring spurts of his night were pitching in seven points in a 10-0 Mavs run late in the third quarter (erasing a 77-70 Suns lead) and adding 15 points in 3:55. An 89-88 lead became 104-93, and the game was over.

Did You Know?

Nowitzki scored only 11 points in Game 4. Think he wanted revenge?

42. Larry Bird's Triple Double: Game 6, 1986 NBA Finals

Three-time MVP Larry Bird proved to the world how justified his awards were with a 29-point, 11-rebound, 12-assist night that clinched the 1986 NBA championship for the Celtics over the Houston Rockets, 114-97.

Did You Know?

Bird nearly averaged a triple double for the entire series. Well, he did if you round up. Bird had 24 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.7 assists in the 1986 NBA Finals, capping a year in which the 1986 Celtics went 67-15. Arguably, one could call them the greatest team ever assembled.

41. Wilkins Wins Battle; Bird Wins War, Part 1: Game 7, 1988 Eastern Semifinals

Larry Bird was not going to let the Celtics dynasty die at the Boston Garden in the hands of Dominique Wilkins and the upstart Atlanta Hawks.

In a game known as the Gunfight at the OK Corral, Dominique Wilkins outscored Larry Bird with 47 points, but the Hick from French Lick poured 20 of his 34 in the fourth quarter to lead the Boston Celtics to a 118-116 win, giving the C's a berth to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Bird scored nine of his points in a 1:58 span early in the fourth quarter and the rest of his 20 in the last 5:56. His layup with 26 seconds remaining gave the C's an insurmountable 114-109 lead, sealing the game.

Did You Know?

Larry Bird went to Indiana University before transferring to Indiana State, in part because Hoosiers star Kent Benson treated him poorly. Bird is now one of the 10 best players of all-time. Benson is well-known for getting punched in the face by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

40. AIlen Iverson's 48 vs. Lakers: Game 1, 2001 NBA Finals

Allen Iverson scored 48 points on 18-of-41 shooting against a Los Angeles Lakers team who was 15-1 in the 2001 playoffs.

It was more than necessary for Iverson to chuck all those shots up. Aside from AI, the best players on the 2000-01 76ers were a past-his-prime Dikembe Mutombo, Aaron McKie and Theo Ratliff, who was unable to participate in the postseason due to injury.

The 76ers won 107-101 in overtime over the Lakers, cementing the NBA MVP's status as one of the top five players of his generation.

Did You Know?

Shaquille O'Neal's 44 points and 20 rebounds somehow weren't enough in this game, but he'd get his revenge two nights later.

39. Vince Carter Scores 50, Earns Playoff 3-Point Record: Game 3, 2001 EC Semis

Not to be deterred by Allen Iverson's 54-point performance in Game 2, Vince Carter poured in 50 in Game 3, making eight three-pointers in the first half and nine overall, both postseason records. Shooting 19-of-29 with seven rebounds and six assists, too, Carter gave the Raptors a short-lived 2-1 series lead.

Did You Know?

This was the series where Carter was criticized for attending his University of North Carolina graduation ceremony, doing so on the morning of Game 7. Carter contributed a near triple double (20 points, nine assists, seven rebounds) but shot just 6-of-18 and missed the series-winning jumper with two seconds left.

Justified criticism or no? I say no.

38. Allen Iverson 52, Vince Carter 16: Game 5, 2001 Eastern Conference Finals

In a series that featured two All-Stars, over-the-hill players and guys who never reached a prime, Allen Iverson simply decimated Vince Carter in Game 5, scoring 52 points to Vince Carter's 16 in the 76ers' 121-88 Game 5 victory.

AI made 21-of-32 field goals, went 8-of-14 from downtown and dished seven assists along with four steals on the night he accepted the MVP trophy.

Did You Know?

Allen Iverson currently plays for Beşiktaş Cola Turka of the Turkish Basketball League. You're telling me he can't find a spot on an NBA roster with 360 active spots?

37. LeBron's Triple Double Keeps Cavs Alive: Game 5, 2009 Eastern Finals

The Orlando Magic's three-point show, coupled with his team's incompetence, was grinding LeBron James' gears when the series went back to Cleveland for a must-win Game 5.

LeBron answered the bell with 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists in a comeback victory. Down one going into the fourth quarter, the Cavs outscored the Magic 34-23 for a 112-102 win.

Did You Know?

LeBron led both teams in points, assists and rebounds in Game 5.

36. Michael Jordan's Double Nickel vs. Bullets: Game 2, 1997 Eastern First Round

Michael Jordan scored 55 (22-of-35, 10-of-10 FT) against the Washington Bullets in the 1997 playoffs. Just another day at the office for His Airness, but interestingly enough, the pesky 42-40 Bullets hung around in Game 2, only losing 109-104. Jordan outscored his entire teammate base 55-54, with Scottie Pippen as the Bulls' second-leading scorer with 14 points.

These were the Chris Webber-Juwan Howard-Gheorghe Muresan Bullets, the best team the nation's capital saw between the Wes Unseld and Gilbert Arenas eras. They were entertaining, but certainly not immune to MJ's heroics, as he averaged 37.3 points per game for the three-game sweep.

Did You Know?

The 1996-97 Chicago Bulls, much like the 1999 New York Yankees, were a sneaky great team whose place in history is clouded by their previous year's version. The 1996 Bulls went 72-10 (16-3 in playoffs), while the 1997 Bulls were 69-13 (16-4 in playoffs).

35. Larry Bird's Triple Double Ends Dream Ride for Knicks: Game 7, 1984 EC Semis

After averaging 42.6 points per game (four 40-plus point games) against the Detroit Pistons in the first round, Bernard King pitched in 29.1 points per game (two 40-plus point games) versus the Boston Celtics in the second round.

Too bad Larry Bird averaged 30.4 points per game, shot 58.5 percent and averaged 10.6 rebounds per game against the Knicks.

And too bad Larry Bird saved his best game for his last, a 39-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist Game 7 to lead Boston to a 121-104 win. Boston eventually won the 1984 NBA Finals in seven games over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Did You Know?

Larry Bird averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists during his Indiana State career, but before joining the Sycamores, he took a job doing Indiana state maintenance for a year, which is chronicled in his autobiography, Drive.

34. LeBron Tries To Will Cavs to Victory: Game 1, 2009 Eastern Conference Finals

Despite leading by 15 points at halftime, the Cleveland Cavaliers could not hold onto the advantage despite 49 points (20-of-30 FG), eight assists, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals from LeBron James. The King even scored 16 of the Cavs' final 19 second-quarter points.

His most meaningful contribution would have occurred with one second left, as he won a jump-ball tip and deflected the sphere to Mo Williams for a fall-away jumper as time expired, but the ball hit the back iron.

Did You Know?

LeBron made 20 field goals in this game, but the rest of the Cavs' starters contributed 21 combined. Yet this team went 66-16. Like the Kobe slide, how was that possible?

33. Kobe Proves MVP Was Legit: Game 2, 2008 Western Conference First Round

Only four players have scored 40 points and accrued 10 assists since 1993 (Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson and Tracy McGrady) in the playoffs. All had 10 assists, but only Kobe pitched in 49 points.

Most impressively, Bryant scored 19 points between the 6:41 and 2:22 marks of the fourth quarter while shooting 18-of-27 overall. The Lakers' 122-107 Game 2 victory was just a stepping stone en route to a first-round sweep over the Denver Nuggets and a trip to the NBA Finals.

Did You Know?

Bryant averaged 33.5 points per game for the series, and the Lakers won by an average of 13.25 points.

32. Shaq's Near Quadruple Double: Game 2, 2001 NBA Finals

Somehow, Shaq managed to eclipse a 44-point, 20-rebound performance to open the 2001 NBA Finals despite scoring 16 fewer points. O'Neal's 28-point, 20-rebound, nine-assist, eight-block night catapulted the Lakers to a 98-89 over the Philadelphia 76ers, avenging their first (and only) 2001 postseason loss.

Did You Know?

O'Neal had 17 points and 13 rebounds at halftime and sat out a small chunk of the fourth quarter with five fouls.

31. Kobe Bryant's Best Playoff Game: Game 4, 2001 Western Conference Finals

The Sacramento Kings were one season removed from acquiring Mike Bibby and becoming a force of nature, so they still had Jason Williams manning the point and were your prototypical good-but-not-great NBA team.

Hence, the dynastic Los Angeles Lakers swept the Kings with relative ease in 2001, but not before Kobe Bryant contributed the stat line of a lifetime: 48 points (15-of-29 FG, 17-of-19 FT), 16 rebounds, three assists, two steals. Most impressively, he took (and made) only one three-pointer.

Did You Know?

More of a common sense note, but Kobe was 22 years old when he played this game. Remarkable to think about.

30. Wilkins Wins Battle; Bird Wins War, Part 2: Game 7, 1988 Eastern Semifinals

Poor Dominique Wilkins. The Human Highlight Film's phenomenal 1987-88 season (see below) will always be overshadowed by Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

Still, scoring 14 of 47 points in the fourth quarter of a must-win Game 7 at the vaunted Boston Garden, coupled with shooting 19-of-23, is a performance no basketball fan should forget.

Did You Know?

Wilkins finished second in the NBA scoring race as well as the legendary 1988 Slam Dunk Contest to Michael Jordan. Averaging 30.7 points and 6.4 rebounds while leading the Hawks to arguably their best season since the Bob Pettit era, Wilkins used that season's momentum for excellent personal success, but he never reached the conference finals as a player. Without argument, he is the best player in NBA history never to do so.

Wilkins averaged 24.8 points and 6.7 rebounds for his career, From 1984-1994, he averaged at least 25.9 points per game.

29. Bernard King Defeats Isiah: Game 5, 1984 Eastern Conference First Round

For two seasons, Bernard King was the most dangerous scorer on the planet. He averaged 26.3 points in a 1983-84 season in which he posted back-to-back 50-point games against San Antonio and Dallas in Texas. The following season, he scored 40 points in the first half en route to a 60-point night against the New Jersey Nets on Christmas Day 1984.

A devastating knee injury in March 1985 put his career on a two-year hiatus, slowing him down, but King was Jordan-esque if only for a short time, minus the acrobatics.

Against the Detroit Pistons, King averaged 42.6 points in a five-game first-round series which the Knicks won. In Game 5, the Knicks won 127-123 in overtime, withstanding Isiah Thomas' 16 points in 94 seconds to close out regulation. King eventually outplayed Thomas, scoring 44 and authoring a putback dunk to seal the game in overtime.

Did You Know?

King averaged 34.8 points for the 1983-84 playoffs, but maybe his most impressive career feat was scoring 26.4 points for the Washington Bullets as a 34-year-old during the 1990-1991 season, well after his knee injury temporarily damaged his career.

28. John Stockton Matches Playoff Assists Record: Game 5, 1988 Western Finals

John Stockton contributed 23 points, 24 assists (matching Magic Johnson's playoff record) and five steals against the world champion Los Angeles Lakers at the Forum, but that all pales in comparison to the fact that he played every single second of the game.

The Utah Jazz nearly pulled off the upset—Michael Cooper hit a jumper with seven seconds remaining to give the Lakers a 111-109 win—but Stockton received his overdue respect as an elite player after this game.

Did You Know?

The 1987-88 season was the first of nine consecutive years that Stockton led the NBA in assists.

27. Vengeful Jerry West Scores 53 Points: Game 1, 1969 NBA Finals

After losing to the Boston Celtics in five NBA Finals series, no doubt Jerry West was ravenously hungry to beat the aging C's in 1969 (Bill Russell and Sam Jones were in their last seasons). Plus, Wilt Chamberlain was on board, Elgin Baylor was still on the team and the Lakers had home-court advantage.

In one of the greatest Game 1s to open any NBA playoff series, West scored 53 points to lead L.A. to a 120-118 win. Ultimately, the Lakers lost the series in seven games, but West is still the only player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP while on the losing team.

Did You Know?

The following season, West hit a half-court shot to send Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals to overtime against the New York Knicks (see video), but the Lakers lost the game and eventually the series.

26. Reggie Miller Scores 25 in 4th Quarter: Game 5, 1994 Eastern Finals

Reggie Miller scored 25 (five three-pointers) of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, turning a 70-58 deficit into a 93-88 win for the Indiana Pacers over the New York Knicks, giving them a 3-2 series lead. Miller got into a verbal dispute with Spike Lee during the fourth quarter and flashed the infamous choke sign at Lee following one of his three-pointers.

"I don't think Spike realizes that he's not in the game," Marv Albert noted in the telecast.

Whether Lee's trash talk fueled Miller or not, he broke Indiana's 11-game losing streak at Madison Square Garden.

Did You Know?

The Pacers went on a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter, with Miller scoring 10 of those points.

25. Charles Barkley Scores 27...in First Quarter: Game 3, 1994 First Round

This video serves as evidence on how to not call a basketball game, as both TNT commentators are damn-near comatose while watching Charles Barkley going 11-of-11 for 27 points in the first quarter.

Barkley pitched in 38 by halftime and posted 56 points and 14 rebounds overall to contribute to the Suns' 140-133 victory over the Golden State Warriors, sending Phoenix to the Western Conference Semifinals.

Barkley scored 56 points total in Games 1 and 2, giving him a 37.3 points-per-game average for the series.

Did You Know?

Watch the tape. Charles Barkley is never double teamed. I know Don Nelson, then-Warriors coach, essentially eschewed defense, but c'mon man!

24. MJ Avenges Casinogate with 54: Game 4, 1993 Eastern Conference Finals

Michael Jordan was caught in an Atlantic City casino the night before Game 2 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. Despite 36 points (on 12-of-32 shooting), the Bulls lost 96-91.

MJ followed that up with a 3-of-18 shooting night with 22 points, but the rest of the Bulls picked him up and won 103-83.

With MJ having an injured shooting wrist, and possessing the knowledge that he had shot 15-of-50 (30 percent) over the past two games as he was getting lambasted in the media, he knew he had to send a message to the world.

With 54 points and six rebounds, MJ did just that, swinging the momentum of the series back into the Bulls' favor. Following the Charles Smith block party in Game 5, the Bulls slowly bled the Knicks away in Game 6 to take the series en route to their first three-peat.

Did You Know?

MJ was surprisingly pedestrian outside Game 4 in the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, though I suppose an injured shooting wrist will hinder a man's game. He did not shoot better than 46 percent in any other game in the series.

One may point that out as a flaw, but this Knicks fan tips his cap to a man who found something inside of him and remarkably forced his will on the Knicks when mere mortals could not have done so.

23. Hakeem the Dream Is Real NBA MVP: Game 5, 1995 Western Finals

David Robinson accepted his NBA MVP trophy before Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. No doubt that fueled Hakeem Olajuwon, who led the Houston Rockets over the San Antonio Spurs in six games en route to an NBA Finals berth and eventual championship.

His best performance was Game 5, when he had 42 points (19-of-30 shooting), nine rebounds, eight assists and five blocks. A dizzying array of jumpers, hook shots and dunks put the Spurs away on the road, giving the Rockets a 111-90 win and a 3-2 series lead. Olajuwon's main adversary, David Robinson, had 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Did You Know?

Hakeem Olajuwon is ranked as the sixth-best basketball player of all-time by Basketball-Reference's Player Elo Ratings chart.

22. Michael Jordan's Double Nickel vs. Suns: Game 4, 1993 NBA Finals

Michael Jordan scored 33 points on 14-of-20 shooting with four rebounds to lead Chicago to a 111-105 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the 1993 NBA Finals.

Oh, wait. That was the first half. One second.

Michael Jordan scored 55 points on 21-of-37 shooting with eight rebounds to lead Chicago to a 111-105 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the 1993 NBA Finals.

That's more like it.

Did You Know?

Jordan's and-one sealed the game late, giving Chicago a five-point lead.

21. Bill Walton's Near Quadruple Double: Game 6, 1977 NBA Finals

Bill Walton led a miraculous Blazers team to what is still Portland's only major sports championship with 20 points, 23 rebounds, seven assists and eight blocks in a 109-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6. 

Walton averaged 18.5 points and 19.0 rebounds for the six-game series and was named the Finals MVP.

At the end of the series, Blazers coach Dr. Jack Ramsey said, "I've never coached a better player, I've never coached a better competitor and I've never coached a better person than Bill Walton (see video)."

Did You Know?

Buoyed by Walton's performance, the Blazers became the only team to ever overcome a 2-0 Finals deficit in NBA history.

20. Bob Pettit Scores 50 To Win Hawks' Only Title: 1958 NBA Finals

Bob Pettit, the forgotten superstar of the 1950s who averaged 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game, scored 50 points (and the winning basket) in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals to lead the St. Louis Hawks over the Boston Celtics for the championship, 110-109.

If the C's had won the series, they would have won 10 consecutive NBA titles. To this day, no player has scored more points in a championship-clinching game.

Did You Know?

In a bizarre turn of events, Pettit also sent Game 7 of the 1957 NBA Finals to double overtime, but missed a shot as time expired, and the Celtics won the 1957 NBA championship. The Hawks went 34-38 that year but finished in a three-way tie for first in the NBA's Western Division (the 36-36 Knicks finished .500 in the Eastern Division but were last and did not make the postseason).

19. Allen Iverson Scores 55.7 Percent of 76ers' Points: Game 2, East Semifinals

If any other player in NBA playoff history has scored a higher percentage of his team's points, I'd like to view that otherworldly box score. It probably doesn't exist. Sure doesn't on this list.

Allen Iverson scored 54 of the Philadelphia 76ers' 97 points in a must-win Game 2, a 97-92 Philly victory. The Raptors won Game 1 and would go back to Toronto with a chance to take the series had they pulled this game out.

Remember that both the Raptors and 76ers were essentially one-man teams, so the series would be decided by how well the stars played.

Iverson supplemented his 54 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists, shooting 21-of-39 from the field. He rested only one minute. Eric Snow, the 76ers' second-best offensive option on this night, scored 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting.

Did You Know?

Iverson is the shortest NBA MVP of all-time. He won in 2000-01 with 31.1 points and 4.6 assists per game.

18. Bill Russell Goes for 22 Points, 35 Rebounds: Game 7, 1960 NBA Finals

The St. Louis Hawks and Boston Celtics had each split an NBA Finals series against each other, with the 1960 Finals acting as the rubber match.

Both teams split the first six games, but Game 7 was no contest as Bill Russell led the Celtics to the second of eight straight championships with a 22-point, 35-rebound performance.

The C's won 122-103 (note at the end of the clip how the old Boston Garden scoreboard didn't have a third light for an extra digit).

Did You Know?

Look closely, an All-NBA first-teamer in 1960 was balding.

17. Tommy Heinsohn Gets 37 Tommy Points, 23 Rebounds: Game 7, 1957 NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics had not officially started their dynasty when they entered the 1957 NBA Finals, but they were the favorites against Bob Pettit and the St. Louis Hawks, which had finished 34-38 in the regular season.

The two teams split the first six games, but behind Tommy Heinsohn's 37 points and 23 boards (complemented nicely by Bill Russell's 19 points and 32 caroms), the C's overcame horrific shooting nights from Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman (5-of-40 combined) to win it all, 125-123, in overtime.

Tommy Heinsohn is now an excitable color commentator for Boston.

Did You Know?

In arguably the greatest Game 7 in NBA history, the Celtics pulled out a 125-123 overtime game that featured a heartbreaking ending rivaling Gordon Hayward's half-court miss in the 2010 NCAA tournament.

The C's were up 125-123, but the Hawks were inbounding under their own basket. Player-coach Alex Hannum entered the game with numerous stars in foul trouble and called a play for himself and Bob Pettit. The plan was for a Hannum baseball pass to go off the backboard and into the waiting hands for a Pettit tip.

The baseball pass was perfect, the tip was perfectly executed, but the shot rolled off the rim.

16. Hakeem Olajuwon Gets 49 and 25: Game 6, 1987 Western Conference Semifinals

Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets faced Dale Ellis and the Seattle SuperSonics for the right to get creamed by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1987 Western Conference Semifinals.

While Hakeem the Dream did all he could to keep the Rockets in the game against a team which had three 23-point plus scorers (Ellis, Tom Chambers, Xavier McDaniel) during the regular season, his 49-point, 25-rebound effort was not enough in a 128-125 double-overtime loss that sent Seattle to the next round.

Hakeem made 19 field goals and 11 of his 25 rebounds were on the offensive end.

Did You Know?

Only four players in NBA history have had 45-point, 15-rebound games during a playoff loss in NBA history: Olajuwon, Dwight Howard, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain.

15. Jerry West's Triple Double Somehow Not Enough: Game 7, 1969 NBA Finals

42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists were not enough to beat the Boston Celtics in the 1969 NBA Finals. 45 points would have been fine, as would have two more assists. But those numbers were not good enough. How Jerry West managed to dust himself off for two more title runs before his career ended is a mystery to anyone not named Jerry West.

After nearly blowing a 17-point fourth-quarter lead, the Celtics led by two when Don Nelson put Boston up 108-104 late with the shot you see in the video, and all L.A. could do was hit one last basket before the buzzer sounded.

Did You Know?

Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke ordered balloons to go in the rafters of the arena that would be released if (when, in Cooke's mind) L.A. won. He also had flyers go on each seat in the lower deck that stated Lakers play-by-play man Chick Hearn would do postgame interviews with Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain in order.

14. Rick Barry 55 Points, 12 Rebounds vs. Sixers: Game 3, 1967 NBA Finals

Rick Barry, a 22-year-old hot shot from Miami, scored 55 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 130-124 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, a 68-13 unit which featured Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham and Hal Greer and had defeated the mighty Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division Finals.

Barry went 22-of-48 but unceremoniously went only 11-of-19 from the free-throw line.

Did You Know?

This game has some striking similarities to the participants of the 2001 NBA Finals. Barry was a volume scorer for a big underdog, just like Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. Like the Lakers, the Warriors were a two-man team featuring two Hall of Famers (Barry and Nate Thurmond).

13. Sleepy Floyd Scores 29 in Fourth: Game 4, 1987 Western Conference Semifinals

Point guard Sleepy Floyd scored 29 of his 51 fourth-quarter points to lead the Golden State Warriors' 129-121 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to prevent a sweep in Game 4 of the 1987 Western Conference Semifinals.

Keep in mind that this Lakers team may have been the best since the 1971-1972 team that won 69 games, as they had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, James Worthy, Byron Scott, A.C. Green, etc. The Warriors were led by Joe Barry Carroll, Floyd and Chris Mullin, who went 42-40.

Did You Know?

In a 50-part slideshow, it's time for me to get a bit lazy. This Bill Simmons article is the best information you'll find on the Internet about this game. My favorite fact: Over the course of 11 minutes in the third and fourth quarters, Floyd scored 34 points.

12. MJ's Six Three-Pointers, 35 First-Half Points: Game 1, 1992 NBA Finals

The most famous shoulder shrug in sports history occurred after Michael Jordan's sixth first-half three-pointer in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals, a contest which the Chicago Bulls eventually won 122-89.

MJ also scored 35 first-half points, a NBA Finals record for one half, and finished with 39 points and 11 assists. In a statistical world where efficiency is lauded above all else, MJ gets due credit for destroying the Blazers so effectively by halftime.

Did You Know?

Michael Jordan outscored Portland's top two scorers—Cliff Drexler and Cliff Robinson—combined in the first half alone. The two Blazers each had 16.

11. LeBron Scores 29 of Cavs' Last 30 Points: 2007 Eastern Conference Finals

People forget that LeBron James carried a Cleveland Cavaliers team on his back that included the likes of Boobie Gibson, Sasha Pavlovic and Delonte West to the 2007 NBA Finals.

Along the way, LeBron led Cleveland from a 0-2 deficit thanks in part to his Game 5 performance—48 points, nine rebounds and seven assists—highlighted by scoring Cleveland's last 25 points and 29 of its last 30 in a 109-107 double-overtime victory at Detroit.

Marv Albert called this "one of the great performances of all time in playoff history." (See video.)

Did You Know?

More of a reminder than anything, but LeBron James was 22 years old when he did this. He could have been a senior in college. Imagine if he was playing Ohio State. Does he go for 80?

10. Walt Frazier Picks Up Knicks in Lieu of Willis Reed: Game 7, 1970 NBA Finals

Everyone knows that Willis Reed made a cameo in the Knicks' Game 7 win over the Lakers in 1970 despite a torn thigh muscle, which emotionally willed New York to victory. However, Walt Frazier's mastro performance—36 points, 19 assists and five steals—also willed the team to its first-ever title. Frazier contributed to 74 of the Knicks' 113 points that night. He also went 12-17 from the field and made all 12 of his free throws.

Did You Know?

The Knicks lost Willis Reed in Game 5 while they were down 25-15, but went plus-17 the rest of the way to win 107-100.

9. James Worthy's Triple Double: Game 7, 1988 NBA Finals

"Big Game James," not Magic Johnson or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, led the Los Angeles Lakers to the 1988 NBA championship with the Game 7 performance of a lifetime, accruing 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in a 108-105 win over Detroit in perhaps the greatest Finals series in the last 25 years.

Not bad for a guy who averaged 19.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists during the 1987-88 season.

Did You Know?

Worthy also had an excellent Game 6 (when Isiah Thomas scored 25 points in the third quarter on a bad ankle) with 28 points and nine rebounds.

8. MJ Scores 63 Against 1986 Celtics: Game 2, 1986 First Round

Larry Bird said that "God disguised as Michael Jordan" played in Game 2 of the 1986 first-round series, a 135-131 double-overtime win for the the C's.

Remember, this was before Michael Jordan developed a three-point shot. None of his points came off a three-point attempt, as he went 22-of-41 with 19-of-21 free throws. He also led the team with six assists. Orlando Woolridge was Chicago's second-leading scorer with 24...on 9-of-27 shooting.

Did You Know?

Jordan had 49 points in Game 1 and a near triple-double (19 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists) in Game 3, but Boston swept the series over the 30-52 Bulls, who missed MJ for 64 games that season due to a broken foot. MJ averaged nearly 44 PPG for the series, and his 63-point effort remains an all-time playoff high.

7. Isiah Thomas Scores 25 in Third Quarter on Bad Ankle: Game 6, 1988 NBA FInals

Isiah Thomas scored 25 points in the third quarter: The first 14 came consecutively for the Pistons, and the last 11 were on a badly sprained ankle after he stepped on Michael Cooper's foot. He shot 11-of-13 overall in that stanza.

He finished with 43 points and eight assists, but the Lakers ended up winning 105-102 to stave off elimination. They won Game 7, 108-105.

Did You Know?

Thomas only sat out for 35 seconds to nurse the ankle.

Any mid-1990's NBA fans will be immediately taken back with this Bill Simmons article: Dan Patrick had a show in the mid-1990's called NBA's Greatest Games on ESPN, which, as a basketball fan growing up in the 1990's, seemingly had five episodes that ran on a cycle. One of them was about Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals, and another was the Bernard King vs. Isiah Thomas 1984 shootout.

Anyway, read that article for even more information on Isiah Thomas crying after watching the game tape for the first time ever.

6. Michael Jordan Scores 45 Points, Nails Game-Winner: Game 6, 1998 NBA Finals

John Stockton made a three-pointer with 41.9 seconds remaining to give the Utah Jazz a 86-83 lead, extending Utah's pulse with the team down 3-2 in the 1998 NBA Finals.

Michael Jordan then made a layup, stole from Karl Malone, crossed over Byron Russell (and got away with a slight push) and nailed a jumper to give Chicago a 87-86 lead. Stockton missed a game-winning three-point attempt and the Bulls won their sixth title in eight years.

MJ finished with 45 points and seven rebounds, made more impressive because Scottie Pippen was slowed by a bad back and had only eight points.

Did You Know?

You can figure this out if you can divide, but it warrants mention: MJ scored 51.7 percent of the Bulls' points on this night.

5. Duncan Finishes 2 Blocks Short of Quadruple Double: Game 6, 2003 NBA Finals

The New Jersey Nets were winning Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals 72-63 on the road in San Antonio. The deficit seemed even greater given the low-scoring, plodding nature of the series, but with future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and David Robinson on the floor, the Spurs had the Nets right where they wanted them. Buoyed a 19-0 run, the Spurs took an 82-72 lead and eventually won the game 88-77 and the series in six games. 

Robinson had 13 points and 17 rebounds in his last NBA game, gracefully leaving pro sports on a high note that only a handful can match. Meanwhile, his protege Tim Duncan authored a performance that made even the versatile Larry Bird take note with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocks. Duncan averaged over 24 points, 17 rebounds, five steals and five assists for the series.

Did You Know?

Tim Duncan's defensive assignment for the night, Kenyon Martin, went 3-of-23 for six points. When I write a slideshow about the worst 50 playoff performances in NBA history, he is going top two alongside Travis Knight, who fouled out in six minutes in the 1999 playoffs.

4. Elgin Baylor's 61 Points, 22 Rebounds: Game 5, 1962 NBA Finals

Elgin Baylor's 61 points are still an NBA Finals record, and his 22 rebounds in Game 5 weren't too shabby either. The Lakers won 126-121, giving them a 3-2 series lead, but they eventually lost the Finals in seven games.

Baylor has the third-highest points-per-game average in NBA history, with 27.4, only behind the 30.1 mark set by Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.

Did You Know?

In the 1961-62 season, Baylor was on Army Reserve duty during the regular season and could only play 48 games.

3. Bill Russell Goes for 30-40: Game 7, 1962 NBA Finals

Sometimes I wonder if games that are staples of NBA history—the MJ Flu game, Kobe's 81 points—will be forgotten two generations down the line. Maybe.

Such was the case here. With Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals tied at 100, Lakers' Frank Selvy missed an eight-foot bunny that would have won the game. In overtime, the Celtics jumped out to a lead and held on for a 110-106 overtime win.

More memorable than a Game 7 going down to the last second, Bill Russell was unconscious with 30 points and 40 rebounds. Maybe he did not have Wilt Chamberlain going against him yet, but Russell's performance was not cheapened because by the end of the game, the Celtics' top four forwards (including Tommy Heinsohn) had fouled out, forcing Russell to guard Elgin Baylor.

Did You Know?

Russell played in 10 Game 7 contests, scoring 18.6 points and grabbing 29.3 rebounds on average. All 10 games were victories.

2. Magic Johnson Plays Center: Game 6, 1980 NBA Finals

The 20-year-old Magic Johnson scoffed at the challenge of replacing Kareem Adbul-Jabbar at center, who averaged over 33 points and 13 rebounds in the first five games of the 1980 NBA Finals. Abdul-Jabbar hurt his ankle in Game 5, leaving the smiling rookie in charge in the potentially series-clinching Game 6.

Magic led the Lakers to the biggest win of the Finals, a 123-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, with 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists. He took the tip to start the game, made a sky hook from down low and eventually played every position on the floor.

It was the Lakers' first championship since 1972 and the first of five in the Magic Johnson era.

Did You Know?

This game was not entirely on tape delay, a popular falsity. It was live in L.A. and Philadelphia, as well as Portland and Seattle, but most CBS affiliates chose to show reruns of Dallas, The Dukes of Hazzard and The Incredible Hulk instead.

1. Michael Jordan Flu Game: Game 5, 1997 NBA Finals

Michael Jordan scored 38 points with seven rebounds and five assists in 44 minutes—also holding his antagonist Jeff Hornacek to seven points on 2-of-11 shooting—with food poisoning.

He led the Bulls to a 90-88 victory on the road to give the Bulls a 4-3 series lead over the Utah Jazz. MJ scored 17 points in the second quarter and 15 points in the fourth quarter to help erase an early 16-point deficit, and he nailed the game-winning three-pointer with 26 seconds remaining.

Oftentimes, it's too easy to recognize a player's offensive contributions and simply forget how he did on defense. Knowing that Jordan held the erstwhile Hornaceck to just seven points though, outscoring him by 31 points, while having the flu and still playing 44 minutes, easily makes this the most impressive performance in NBA playoff history.

Did You Know?

The cause for Jordan's food poisoning was bad pizza.