The Top 21 NBA Finals Performances

Over time, these performances have been forgotten. Many people know the names, but are voided of the vivid memories of their games.

These players' performances under the brightest lights almost single-handedly provided their teammates the spoils of victory, while their opponents experienced the agony of defeat.

In the constant battle of belief and opinion vs. fact and conviction, the truth is habitually lost. 

So this is a list for the stat-sheet stuffers. This list is comprised of the top performances in NBA Finals history going all the way back to 1951. This trip through NBA history is just a reminder that true greatness comes in many ways and is never isolated to just one facet of the game.

While some players may have scored more, rebounded more, or registered more assists none had the complete dominance of these players on that singular night. Players like Bob Pettit, who scored 35 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and dished out seven assists in Game 2 of the 1960 NBA Finals.  

The list’s criteria is simple, a player had to notch at least a double-double and his team had to win the game. So in short, there are no 50-point, 6-rebound games or 40-point, 7-assist games. Lastly, the top five is reserved for championship-clinching performances.

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21) 1986 Hakeem Olajuwon: 32 Points 14 Rebounds 8 Blocks 3 Assist 2 Steals

Rockets vs. Celtics: Game 5

Hakeem was known as Akeem then, and he was a force in just his second season in the league. Olajuwon was the first member of the celebrated 1984 draft class to make it to the NBA Finals. Once arriving, he did not disappoint.

Although the Rockets would lose to the Celtics in six games, Hakeem gave the city of Houston a preview of his greatness.

His Game 5 performance helped the Rockets live to fight another day, and his playoff performance put the Western Conference on notice that the best big man in the game now resided in Houston.

20) 1969 Jerry West: 53 Points 10 Assists

Lakers vs. Celtics: Game 1

Jerry West was one of the game’s best scorers and in Game 1 of the 1969 NBA World Championship series, West was in his zone. The game was close throughout and had it not been for the Herculean effort of West, the Lakers would have surely lost.

His 53 points set the stage for one of the greatest championship series in the history of sports, as only one game was decided by 10 or more points. The Celtics would go on to win the title in seven games, but Jerry West stole the show.

His 39 points per average earned him the inaugural MVP award. It was the first and last time the award would be given to the member of the losing team.

19) 2003 Tim Duncan: 32 points 20 rebounds 7 blocks 6 assists 3 steals

Spurs vs. New Jersey: Game 1

Tim Duncan’s Game 1 performance in the 2003 NBA Finals was his way of giving the middle-finger salute to the people who questioned the Spurs 1999 lockout-shortened season’s crown. Duncan was everywhere and everything for San Antonio in this series.

Game 1 was great, but Game 6 was legendary. The Spurs would take the series in six games and Duncan would take home his second Finals MVP trophy.

18) 1980 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 40 points 15 rebounds 4 blocks

Lakers vs. 76ers: Game 5

This was the game before “The Game.” Kareem shined brightly in the first five contests of this series and his play came to a culmination in Game 5.

Abdul-Jabbar had a horrific ankle injury in the third quarter and left what was a close game. He would return shortly and score 14 more points and lead LA to a pivotal Game 5 win.

Abdul-Jabbar was by far the best player on the court for every game in the series until Game 6. His ankle injury would keep him out of that game and also set the stage for one of the most remarkable performances in NBA history.

The Lakers would beat the Sixers in six and win their first title in nine years.

17) 1976 Dave Cowens: 25 points 21 rebounds 10 assists 1 steals

Celtics vs. Suns: Game 1

Cowens’ triple-double in game one was both necessary and unexpected. The Celtics were playing an up-tempo Phoenix Suns team whose best player was traded to them by the Celtics.

Paul Westphal was the player to watch this series with Celtic legend John Havlicek’s body wearing down. Cowens, however, stole the show and led all players in assists and rebounds.

The lefty’s Game 1 performance gave Boston the confidence that they needed to dispose of an overachieving Suns team. The Celtics would take the title in six.   

16) 1963 Elgin Baylor: 38 points 23 rebounds 8 assists

Lakers vs. Celtics: Game 3

Elgin Baylor was at times the best guard/forward in the league and Game 3 was one of those times. Baylor outrebounded Russell, outpassed Cousy, and outscored the Celtics' entire front line.

The Celtics would win the series in six games, with each game being close. Every game except Baylor’s Game 3, which the Lakers would win by 20.

15) 1965 Bill Russell: 23 Points 25 Rebounds 10 Assists

Celtics vs. Lakers: Game 2

In a game that featured balance and identical score lines, Bill Russell again stood tallest. His triple-double was gargantuan for a Celtics team that was outscored by six points in the final period and withstood a 45-point explosion from Jerry West.

The question when the Lakers and Celtics meet should never be who won the series, rather how many games did Boston win in. The Celtics would take the title in five games.  

14) 1967 Rick Barry: 55 points 12 rebounds 5 assists

Warriors vs. 76ers: Game 3

Yes, Rick Barry is reportedly off his rocker, but he sure could hoop. In this pivotal Game 3, the San Francisco Warriors avoided falling into a three games to zero hole and the death sentence that comes with it. Barry displayed early that he was shooting first, second, and last in this game.

The Warriors would lose to the mighty Philadelphia 76ers in six games. In a losing effort, Barry would set a then-NBA Finals record of 40.8 points, a record that would later be broken be Michael Jordan in 1993 who averaged 41.0 points.  

13) 1993 Michael Jordan: 42 Points 12 Rebounds 9 Assists 2 Steals

Bulls vs. Suns: Game 2

Michael Jordan had his pull-up fade away going on this night. The Bulls snatched the first game of this series from the Suns and were going for the jugular in Game 2.

The Bulls would win the title in six, and Jordan would win his third straight Finals MVP.   

12) 2000 Shaquille O’Neal: 43 points 19 rebounds 4 assists 3 blocks 2 turnovers

Lakers vs. Pacers: Game 1

No player in NBA history ruled the NBA hardwood the way Shaq did in 2000. He put fear in the hearts of man. Determined and resilient, the center established from the outset that there was no man equipped to stop the diesel.

The Lakers ran through the Pacers in six, and the big man would bring LA their first title since 1988.    

11) 2000 Shaquille O’Neal: 40 points 24 rebounds 4 assists 3 blocks 2 turnovers

Lakers vs. Pacers: Game 2

Game 2 was the Diesel’s way of hammering home his point. In two games, the center scored 73 points and grabbed 43 rebounds.

However, his most impressive output was the four turnovers he amassed in those two games.

10) 1997 Michael Jordan: 38 points 13 rebounds 9 assists 2 steals

As great as Michael Jordan was, he was aided by the helplessness of Jeff Hornacek, John Stockton, and Byron Russell. Few pure scorers ever faced such ineptitude in defending them.

Jordan outscored the entire Jazz frontcourt and dished out more assists than John Stockton.

Air and his crew stood tall again and walked away with his fifth title, ridding themselves of the Jazz in six.  

9) 1970 Wilt Chamberlain: 45 points 27 rebounds 3 assists

Lakers vs. Knicks: Game 6

Wilt needed to carry the Lakers for them to avoid elimination. He had to channel the old version of himself for the Lakers to be victorious.

The Dipper was up for the challenge and benefited from the loss of Knicks center Willis Reed. Without the Knicks’ horse, the Lake Show dodged elimination one last time.

Eventually, they would succumb to the Knicks in seven games, and the Lakers Game 6 win would create the big question “would Willis Reed play in Game 7?”

8) 1961 Bill Russell: 30 points 38 rebounds

Celtics vs. Hawks: Game Five

This Game 5 was a precursor of great things to come involving Bill Russell. The Celtic legend would establish a trend of being colossal in the biggest moments. His 38 rebounds and 30 points were both game highs.

Yet it was his defense on Hall-of-Fame forward Bob Pettit that led the Celtics to their third straight title. Russell held Pettit to 7 for 22 while he shot 9 for 17.

Russell controlled the game on both ends and Boston defeated St. Louis in five.

7) 2003 Tim Duncan: 21 points 20 rebounds 10 assists 8 blocks

Spurs vs. Nets: Game 6

It’s not how you start but how you finish, and Duncan finished emphatically. The power forward started the series with the 19th best Finals game of all time and ended the series with seventh best game of all time.

Duncan was unstoppable and proved without a shadow of a doubt he was the premier power forward in the game. It took the Spurs six games to dismiss the overmatched New Jersey Nets. 

6) 1962 Elgin Baylor: 61 points 22 rebounds

Celtics vs. Lakers: Game 5

Baylor’s 61 points is still a Finals record and his 22 rebounds confirm just how special he was. No player was greater in defeat, and his 40.6 per game average in the Finals places him third on the all-time list.

The Lakers would again lose to Boston in seven games, and Baylor would again miss his opportunity to be remembered for just how great he really was.

5) 1970 Walt Frazier: 36 points 19 assists 7 rebounds

Knicks vs. Lakers: Game 7

While many questioned if Willis Reed would play and provide some sort of resistance for Wilt Chamberlain. Walt Frazier wondered who would stop him.

Chamberlain scorched the Knicks to the tune of 45 points and 27 rebounds in Game 6. So there was little reason to believe the Knicks could defeat the Lakers, without a healthy Reed.

However, Frazier had his mind made up he would not be denied. It was he who brought Gotham its first title.

4) 1986 Larry Bird: 29 Points 12 Assists 11 Rebounds 3 Steals

Celtics vs. Rockets: Game 6

The game was never in doubt as the Celtics took a 17-point halftime lead. LB was the story from the start.

The Hall-of-Famer was precise and efficient, his eight rebounds and eight assists in the first half were monumental in the victory. Bird would lead the Celtics to their sixteenth championship and his own third.

This would be Bird’s final ring and the Celtics’ last title until 2008.

3) 1988 James Worthy: 36 points 16 rebounds 10 assists 2 steals

Lakers vs. Pistons: Game 7

Nicknamed “Big Game James” for his habit of rising to the moment, James Worthy could not have been bigger in Game 7. Worthy was the best player on the court and proved to be too much for the Pistons frontline.

The Bad Boys struggled to keep up with Worthy in transition and struggled keeping him off of the offensive glass, as he grabbed five offensive rebounds.

The Lakers took a huge 15-point lead and held on late defeating the Detroit Pistons 108-105. This would be the last title of the “Showtime Era,” as injuries and age ravaged the line-up.

2) 1980 Magic Johnson: 42 points 15 rebounds 7 assist 3 steals

The hardest game in any series is the elimination game. The Lakers were on the road, missing their captain, and faced with the daunting task of trying to eliminate the Philadelphia 76ers. There was no reason for the Lakers to even be close yet alone win, but anything is possible with Magic.

Johnson’s game was nothing short of defiant. He was known as a facilitator but that day he morphed into a scorer. His performance was amazing for any player, but unbelievable when one considers he was just a rookie.

Jamaal Wilkes and Magic Johnson would take over the Spectrum and give the Lakers possibly their proudest championship banner.

1) 1962 Bill Russell: 30 Points 40 Rebounds

Celtics vs. Lakers: Game 7

There are no words to describe just how great Russell was when it mattered most. The Celtics were down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and looked certain to lose.

In Game 7, Boston needed Russell to score since both Tommy Heinsohn and Tom Sanders fouled out. Russell responded with 30 points.

The NBA did not keep blocks as a statistic until 1973, so any count is unofficial, one can only guess what he would have amassed. There have been reports suggesting he had anywhere from six to eight blocks that game.

Russell never lost a single Game 7. Many players could score 30 points but none could also grab 44 rebounds.

Kwame can be heard on the radio every Monday, from 4:00-5:30 at www.WPMD.org, click "listen live". Previous shows and articles can be found at http://kwamefisherjones.weebly.com/.