According to ESPN.com, the rankings for the top performances in NBA Finals history. Only repeat performers in the top 10 include somebody named Jordan and the Diesel.
1. Dwayne Wade, Miami, 2006
Did Dallas choke or was DWade too much for them? I was in Jamaica for the last 2 games and people down there actually were watching and talking about this game over the World Cup. Amazing...but tops Jordan?
2. Michael Jordan, Chicago, 1998
Speaking of this Jordan guy, how do you silence the whole state of Utah within 45 seconds (See pic above)?
3. Tim Duncan, Spurs, 2004
Big Fundamental vs a 2nd time back Nets team that was demoralized by the Lakers the previous year (#9 on the list). Key stat - Averaged 5.3 blocks per game. Yes - per game. This was also Manu's coming out party.
4. Michael Jordan, Chicago, 1997
Jordan and Pippen should have won Oscars for best Actor and Supporting Actor in a sports epic for his game 5 performance in which he had to be carried to the huddle in between plays and to the locker room after dropping 38 on the fluke of the MVP Mailman and the Jazz while suffering from the flu and dehydration. I think I shed a couple of man-tears after that game.
5. Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston, 1994
Ever see the Dream shake? Patrick Ewing did. This should have an asterisk next to it since Jordan was on a hiatus and the Knicks cheated Scottie Pippen out of one of the best statistical seasons in history. Nevertheless, The Dream was putting the Knicks through the spin cycle and the OJ chase. NBA...where drama happens? (Wouldn't that have been great if TNT had this and like 4 different Law and Order's had OJ type spinoffs? Before there time.)
6. Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, 1987
Nearly averaged a quadruple double in the series: 26ppg, 13assists, 8 reb, and 9 asses smacked for the series. IFFF Magic got HIV, it might have happened around this time. He was on fire.
7. Michael Jordan, Chicago, 1991
The coming out party. After all of those years trying to get pass those Pistons and Knicks, Jordan leads his team to the promise land in 5 games. Doing so, he makes probably the most incredible shot of the decade, almost to the extent of the birth of the alley-oop. After the shot, Jordan finished game 2 with these numbers: 33pts on 15-18 fgs, 13assists, 7reb. Not to mention he hit 13 fgs in a row with number #13 being "the shot" (above).
8. Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. Lakers, 2000
Shaq averaged 38 pts despite shooting 38% from the charity stripe. Talking about domination, no one could stop him on the Pacers. This was also the coming out party for Kobe after Shaq fouled out in game 4 and Kobe carried the team down the stretch and in OT.
9. Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. Lakers, 2002
The sweep of the Nets was not even the story of the playoffs. The true story now more than ever is the alledged throwing game 6 in the Western Conference Finals vs the Kings. In that game, the Lakers shot 27 free throws in the 4th quarter. Another asterisk.
10. Michael Jordan, Chicago, 1992
Three peat. This one was over before the Blazers got off the bus. Jordan dropped 35pts in the first half of game 1 with an onslaught of 3 pointers. This was remarkable because Jordan shot 27% from behind the arc that year. Talking about your game plan going out the window. That is like stepping in the ring and fighting a young Mike Tyson. Sure you trained for the bout and possibly thought you could win. Then you get hit.
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