Offensive Firepower: NBA's 10 Most Unstoppable Scorers of All Time

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant is currently one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA.

The 21-year-old impressively led the league in scoring this past season with 30.1 points per game, edging the likes of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant. 

Someday, Durant may join several players as the one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. 

So who are these all-time greats?

The following slides will take a look at the Wilt Chamberlains and Allen Iversons of the world, or in other words, guys defenders just couldn't seem to stop from putting the ball in the basket.

Enjoy.   

10. Hakeem Olajuwon

Many people say Orlando's Dwight Howard could become a legendary  center if he would just develop some low-post moves.

That must be why he's been hanging out with Hakeem Olajuwon, a player who owned a plethora of post moves in the 90s.

The Houston Rockets won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995, mostly because of Olajuwon's scoring prowess. Opponents would have fits with his famous "Dream Shake."

Olajuwon would frustrate you all game long with his many spin moves, up-and-unders, and turnaround jump shots.

When he was at the top of his game, there was nothing you could do to stop him.

9. Dominique Wilkins

When you think of Dominique Wilkins, you think of one of the most electrifying dunkers of all time. You could make a case for him being the greatest dunker, even better than Michael Jordan and Vince Carter. 

However, 'Nigue was much more than just a dunker; he was an explosive scorer, especially in the the 1980s during his time with the Atlanta Hawks.

Wilkins captured the league's scoring title in 1985-1986, averaging 30.3 points per game. He reached the 30 ppg mark in 1987-88 as well.

Also in '88, he put on a memorable show in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics, as he scored 47 points.

His career-high is 57.

Wilkins is just one of six players in league history to average at least 25 ppg for ten straight seasons.

8. George Gervin

David Robinson and Tim Duncan may be the two greatest players in San Antonio Spurs history, but they couldn't finger roll like another Spurs great: George "The Iceman" Gervin.

In fact, nobody could.

He averaged 26.2 ppg for his career and led the league in scoring three consecutive years from 1978-1980.

Gervin barely beat out David Thompson for the scoring title in '78 by turning in 63 points in the final regular season game.

He also scored 33 second-quarter points in the game, a record that has since been tied by Carmelo Anthony.

7. Allen Iverson

Iverson can't seem to find a team that is interested in his services this offseason. One of the reasons why is that he isn't the big-time scorer he once was. 

After being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the the top pick in the 1996 draft, A.I. didn't take very long to prove he could score, dropping 30 points in his NBA debut. He would go on to set a rookie record with five straight 40-point games.

Iverson has picked up four NBA scoring titles during his career despite standing at only 6'0".

When he was younger, the former Georgetown star would use his insane "killer crossover" to break the ankles of defenders before driving to the hole for an easy lay in.

Iverson has averaged over 30 for a season four times and has a career average of 26.7ppg.  

6. Jerry West and Elgin Baylor

West and Baylor formed a dynamic duo for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1960s, as each player could score at will on any given night.

West was a such an unstoppable scorer that the NBA used his silhouette for its logo. He averaged over 30 ppg four times, including his second season in the league.  

In addition, West averaged 29.1 ppg in the playoffs, third all-time behind Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

It's scary to think of how much more damage he would have done had a three-point line existed in his day. 

Baylor once scored 71 points in a game, a record at the time, and averaged a career-best 38.3 ppg in 1961-62. The 11-time All-Star forward was known for his hanging jumper and running back shot.

5. Kobe Bryant

Bryant is the game's best scorer since Michael Jordan was tearing it up in the late '90s.

In a game during the 2005-06 season, the longtime Laker guard did the unthinkable when he poured in 81 points. Sure it was against a not-so-great Toronto Raptors team, but hey, 81 points is 81 points.

Scoring that many points in a single NBA game alone is enough to find a place on this list.

Bryant scored at least 50 points in four consecutive games in 2006-07, including two in which he reached the 60-point plateau. He ended up with ten 50-point games for the season.

In February 2009 the two-time scoring champ managed to set the record for the most points scored at Madison Square Garden, dropping 61 on the New York Knicks.

4. Shaquille O'Neal

O'Neal burst onto the NBA scene in 1992 with the Orlando Magic, dunking on anyone who tried to get in his way. Defenders didn't have a clue how to stop the 7'1", 300-pound center from having his way on any given night.

The league hadn't witnessed a player so dominant since the days of Wilt Chamberlain.

Nowadays, Shaq doesn't exactly fit the description of unstoppable, seeing that he's 38 years old and a few years from retiring. However, in his prime he would back you down in the post, use his quickness for a spin move, and then finish with a rim-shaking slam.

O'Neal won the scoring title twice (1995 and 2000), averaging right under 30 ppg both times.  

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Putting together a "Most Unstoppable Scorers" list would be really foolish without adding Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

The former Milwaukee Bucks and Lakers star possessed perhaps the most unguardable shot in sports history: the Sky Hook. He simply mastered this interesting-looking shot, which no player has ever managed to duplicate.

Abdul-Jabbar shot an amazing 55.9 percent from the field for his career and led the league in scoring twice (1970-71 and 1971-72).

Always in great shape, Kareem was able to run the court with the "Showtime" Lakers in the 80s and finish the exciting Magic Johnson-led fast break.

2. Wilt Chamberlain

Chamberlain owns countless offensive records that will never be broken, such as averaging 50.4 ppg in season and scoring at least 50 points in 118 regular season games.

But of course his most unbreakable record is scoring 100 points in one game. That sounds unbelievable, sort of like a NFL running back rushing for 10 touchdowns in a single game.  

Chamberlain dominated the NBA for several years with his superb strength and athleticism. 

Sure, he was a horrid free-throw shooter, much like Shaq, but he still struck fear in opposing centers every time he stepped foot onto the hardwood. 

1. Michael Jordan

You would probably prefer to see Wilt Chamberlain at this spot instead of Jordan, but oh well, you can't always have it how you want it.

Jordan never scored 100 points in a game—not even close—and no, he never averaged 50 ppg for a season. However, he is the most unstoppable player in NBA history.

"His Airness" averaged a whopping 28.2 ppg as a rookie, something that simply wouldn't and couldn't happen in today's NBA.

Jordan averaged a career-best 37.1 ppg in 1986-87, just his third season in the league. He should have went for an even 40 a game to make it even crazier. 

During the first part of his career, Jordan would blow by his defenders and then finish with some kind of acrobatic, how-did-he-do-that layup, in which he would hang in the air for quite a while.

And if he was in the mood to embarrass somebody, he would drive the lane and show off his incredible leaping ability by postering a seven-footer. 

Jordan later developed a nasty, unguardable fadeaway jumper that always seemed to hit nothing by the bottom of the net whenever he chose to use it.