NBA Finals 2011: Power Ranking Kobe Bryant and the Last 18 Finals MVPs
With the 2011 NBA Finals about to get underway, it is a strong possibility that we have a first-time winner of the Finals MVP award this season.
The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat are both making their first trip back to the championship round since the two squared off against one another in 2006, and each one is looking to claim their stake as best in the league.
Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James have been the driving forces behind their respective team's successes, and it will be fun to watch both superstars attempt to capture the hardware.
Let's take a walk through some of the most memorable MVP performances in NBA Finals history.
18. Chauncey Billups, 2004
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Chauncey Billups paced the Pistons in 2004 in their surprising five-game defeat of the Los Angeles Lakers.
His veteran leadership, along with his prolific production, elevated his team all the way to its most elite status as NBA Champions.
He shot 51 percent from the floor and an astonishing 93 percent from the charity stripe, and his efficiency was critical to the Pistons coming away with the ring.
17. Tony Parker, 2007
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When Parker took home the award in 2007, he became the first European-born NBA player to ever be named Finals MVP.
He shot a remarkable 42-of-74 from the floor, and averaged 24.5 points per game to propel the San Antonio franchise to their most recent championship.
The Spurs swept the series in four games over LeBron's Cavaliers, and Parker was instrumental in making that happen.
16. Paul Pierce, 2008
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When looking back at the 2008 Finals, the image that sticks out in most people's mind is Paul Pierce going down in a heap of pain and having to be escorted to the locker room in a wheel chair.
Fortunately for his team, the captain was able to return just moments later and thrived off of the adrenaline in order to lead his team to their first championship since the 1985-86 season.
He averaged 21.8 points per game, and the Big Three were able to deliver an NBA title to the city of Boston in their first season together.
15. Kobe Bryant, 2010
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The 2010 Finals was a series defined by defensive intensity, effort and the desire to emerge as best team in the league.
The Lakers and Celtics slugged it out over seven games, and although the Boston appeared to be on the road to a victory, Los Angeles clawed back during a critical fourth quarter and the squad was able to garner their second straight title.
He averaged 28.6 points per game, but his 23-point, 15 rebound performance in the series' final game was the defining point for Kobe, as the Celtics lack of rebounding down the stretch is exactly what cost them the series.
14. Tim Duncan, 2005
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The Detroit Pistons were attempting to secure their second title in as many seasons, but unlike in the previous campaign, the team didn't have to go through San Antonio.
The Spurs returned to the final round with a firm mission in mind: to capture the crown and prove their dynasty was anything but over.
They delivered in a big way, and Timmy D was the reason they were able to come away as champions in a highly competitive seven game set against the Pistons. His 25 points and 11 rebounds in the final game of the series was the icing on the cake to his third NBA Finals MVP award.
13. Kobe Bryant, 2009
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The Lakers were able to secure another trip to the NBA Finals after falling to the Celtics in 2008, and the Black Mamba was going to ensure that this team his team didn't fail.
Facing the Orlando Magic this time around, Bryant threw it into high gear and averaged 32.4 points per contest while playing an astounding 43.8 minutes per game in the five-game series.
Coming away with their first title since 2001-02 regular season, Bryant secured his fourth ring and took another step toward cementing his proper place as one of the greatest to ever play on the NBA hardwood.
12. Tim Duncan, 2003
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In one of the most impressive series in the storied career of Tim Duncan, the Wake Forest product averaged 24.2 points per game, 17.0 rebounds and an astonishing 5.3 blocks.
Leading the Spurs to a six game series victory over the New Jersey Nets, Duncan solidified his standing as one of the most dangerous players in the NBA.
In the clinching game of the series, Duncan delivered an eye-popping stat line of 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocks, numbers that nobody will come close to replicating any time soon.
11. Michael Jordan, 1998
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In what proved to be Jordan's final championship during his Hall of Fame career, MJ certainly didn't disappoint anyone with his extraordinary performance.
Most define the series by the game winning jumper that Jordan hit over Bryon Russell in game six, but His Airness was delivering daggers throughout the entire championship round to a Jazz team that simply couldn't keep up.
Securing his sixth NBA Finals MVP Trophy, Jordan averaged 33.5 points per game and may as well have stamped the finals with his signature Jumpman logo.
10. Dwyane Wade, 2006
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Dwyane Wade brought the Miami franchise their only championship in team history, and he literally put the team on his back in order to do so.
After falling in an 0-2 hole to begin the series against Dallas, Wade rattled off three straight impressive performances of 42 points, 36 points and 43 points to get the Heat back on top.
The Heat eventually won the series in six games, and despite the presence of Shaquille O'Neal in the middle, the win wouldn't have possible without D-Wade.
9. Shaquille O'Neal, 2002
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Shaq Daddy led the way for the Lakers to secure their third consecutive NBA championship in the 2001-02 season, pacing the team in a very big way.
Delivering averages of 36.3 ppg, 12.3 rpg and 2.75 blocks, "The Diesel" was the star of the show in the Lakers four-game sweep over the New Jersey Nets.
Luckily for the Lakers, his growing displeasure with the team and his teammates didn't have any adverse impact on his dominant play.
8. Michael Jordan, 1996
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Michael Jordan delivered so many memories with his countless amazing performances in the NBA Finals, but 1996 was an especially prolific showing for the game's greatest.
Contributing across the board, Jordan was able to propel his Bulls past the Seattle SuperSonics in six games and secure another championship in his first full season back in the league.
Averaging 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.67 steals per game, there's just no way the team would've won without him.
7. Tim Duncan, 1999
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This one is really going to sting for Knicks fans.
The Spurs steamrolled the New York Knickerbockers in the team's last trip to the final round, and Duncan didn't let his foot off of the accelerator pedal at any point in the series.
He absolutely dominated the interior defense of the Knicks, torching the team for 27.4 points and 14.0 rebounds per contest, and reminded everyone why he should be considered among the elite big men to ever play the game.
6. Shaquille O'Neal, 2001
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Shaq was a one-man wrecking crew in the 2001 series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
He absolutely ate up his opposition, averaging 33.0 points, 15.6 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per contest on the biggest stage that the sport has to offer.
In game one, he had 44 points, 20 rebounds and five assists, but he wasn't fully satisfied. In game two, he had 28 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists, and each performance helped to set the tone for a series that was completely dominated by the Lakers.
5. Hakeem Olajuwon, 1994
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They didn't call him "The Dream" for nothing.
Olajuwon was simply incredible in 1994, and was a unanimous choice for the award. Averaging 26.9 points and 9.1 rebounds, the Houston center made sure that everyone knew that his Rockets team was very much for real.
Hakeem also averaged 3.9 blocks per contest in the series, and his team went on to defeat the Knicks in a seven game series that saw Olajuwon become the first center given the award since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1985.
4. Shaquille O'Neal, 2000
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When the Lakers were in search of their first title since the 1988 season, O'Neal understood just how important it was to deliver for his team.
Posting monstrous averages of 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.67 blocks, Shaq paced the Lakers in one of the most dominant postseason performances in league history.
When O'Neal registered a combined 83 points and 43 rebounds through the first two games of the series, it became clear for the Pacers that they were going to be in for what proved to be an insurmountable challenge.
3. Michael Jordan, 1997
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Jordan led his Bulls to a six-game series victory over the Utah Jazz in style in 1997, averaging 32.3 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Securing his fifth NBA Finals MVP Trophy, Jordan's brilliance was imperative to Chicago's emerging as champions, as he delivered a game-winning buzzer beater in the first game of the series which allowed the Bulls to gain a mental edge from the onset.
After just missing a triple-double in game two with 38 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, MJ battled through the flu in game five and logged one of the most impressive 38-point performances I've ever witnessed.
2. Hakeem Olajuwon, 1995
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Remember that brief hiatus in the mid-90s that wasn't dominated by Jordan's Bulls? Hakeem Olajuwon does.
Posting remarkable numbers of 32.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per contest, Olajuwon dazzled with his impressive play and led the Rockets to a four-game series sweep over the Orlando Magic.
He established three NBA Finals four-game series records, for most field goals made, most field goals attempted and most points scored.
1. Michael Jordan, 1993
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All of the performances of the NBA Finals MVPs are undoubtedly impressive, but Jordan is No. 1 on this list by leaps and bounds ahead of the others.
Averaging an NBA Finals record 41.0 points per game (let that sink in for a minute), Jordan also kicked in 8.5 rebounds while handing out 6.3 dimes per contest in what is the most dominant championship performance the sport has ever witnessed.
His amazing output led the Bulls to their third straight championship, becoming the first team in 27 years to accomplish the feat.
