The 25 greatest NBA Finals performances of all-time

MJ was phenomenal in the '93 Finals against the Suns, scoring over 30 points in all six games and over 40 in four of them. One of those was a 55-point masterpiece that put Chicago up 3-1 in the series. Jordan's value this series was all-encompassing, as he also averaged over 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and nearly 2 steals per contest.

Giannis' Game 6 of the 2021 Finals is absolutely among the greatest title-clinching performances in NBA history. In a close win, he put up an efficient 50 points, accompanied by 14 rebounds and 5 blocks. He was on fire all series, during which he shot over 61 percent from the field and had two other 40-point games.

Magic was an immediate star for the Lakers, which he solidified with his performance in the 1980 Finals. His Game 6 was particularly legendary: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was sidelined by injury, so Magic started at center. The result was a 42-point, 15-rebound, 7-assist explosion that secured the title for LA and perhaps the best-ever Finals performance by a rookie.

The 2016 Finals between the Cavaliers and Warriors is perhaps the most memorable of the modern era. It saw Golden State go up 3-1 before Cleveland charged back and won three straight to clinch the series. LeBron in particular had some amazing moments, most notably his instant-classic chase-down block on Andre Iguodala.

Nobody really had an answer for Shaq in the late '90s and early '2000s, and that remained true of the Pacers during the 2000 Finals. O'Neal was simply unstoppable, putting up averages of 28 points, 16 rebounds, and nearly 3 blocks per contest. He had multiple games with at least 40 points and 19 rebounds, which made it impossible for Indiana to get a leg up in the series, and the team lost to LA in six games.

In the series-deciding Game 6, Duncan put up 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks, nearly achieving what would have been one of the greatest quadruple-doubles in NBA history. He showed that level of consistency all series, blocking at least 3 shots every game and averaging 5 over the six games. This earned Duncan his second of three Finals MVP trophies.

MJ came through big-time by dropping 45 points in Game 6, which decided the series. That gets overshadowed, though, by one shot... specifically "The Last Shot," which put the Bulls ahead with seconds left and was Jordan's farewell before his second retirement. This gave Chicago their sixth title in eight years and added to Michael's already impossibly stacked resume.

Before Game 5, Jordan was feeling terrible. But he took the court for "The Flu Game" (though his illness was later revealed to be due to food poisoning) and scored 38 points. This was all while looking physically ill and fatigued throughout the contest, serving as an example of his inimitable competitive fire.

West did something that will most likely never be repeated: In 1969, he was named the Finals MVP despite his team not actually winning the championship. In all but two of the seven games, he scored at least 39 points, including 53 in the series opener. The Lakers lost to the Celtics by just two points in Game 7, with West logging a 42-point triple-double.

In 1985, Abdul-Jabbar was approaching his 40s and had been in the league for nearly two decades. He had a lot left in the tank for the Finals, though, averaging 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in six games against the Celtics. He was the oldest player to ever be named Finals MVP, further cementing his status as an all-time great.

KD made a formidable Warriors team even more formidable when he jumped ship in OKC to join Stephen Curry and company. The results were immediate, with Durant helping lead Golden State to the Finals in his first season, 2017. He was completely lights-out, scoring 35 a game on 55/47/92 shooting splits.

LeBron's Cavaliers were thoroughly outmatched by the Warriors in 2018, getting swept. LeBron was remarkable on an individual level, though, scoring 51 points in a Game 1 overtime loss. His stellar play stayed high in the remaining three games, but Cleveland just didn't have enough behind James to scare Golden State.

Though MJ was a major star and MVP winner by the early '90s, he had yet to deliver a championship to the city of Chicago. Facing the veteran Lakers, Michael upped his playmaking to a different level, averaging 11 assists per game. This was while also still putting up 30 per game, making the series one of his finest all-around outings.

Beyond an aging (but still effective) Shaquille O'Neal, Wade didn't have much support on the 2006 Heat team. He still carried them to the Finals, though, as just a third-year player. Over the final four games of the six-game series, he averaged a hair under 40 points a night, making the 24-year-old an easy Finals MVP pick.

Bird was a few rebounds away from having four triple-doubles in the '86 Finals, but instead, he ended the series with a mere two. He nearly averaged a triple-double for the series, actually, and put in a masterclass of all-around play. One of those triple-doubles came in the deciding game six that powered Boston to a championship.

In his 13-year NBA career, there were only two seasons where Russell's Celtics didn't win the championship. One of the closest series of his career was in '62, when it took an overtime Game 7 win to beat the Lakers. As he had been in the games prior, Russell was incredible, scoring 30 points to go with his 40 rebounds.

Wilt wasn't putting up scoring averages in the 40s and 50s by 1967, but he still averaged 24 points and rebounds, to go with 8 assists, and was named league MVP. He was superlative in the Finals, too, averaging nearly 29 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 blocks per game to go with 17 points. He showed that while his volume scoring made headlines, he was a more complete player than that reputation suggested.

The '95 finals between Houston and Orlando were supposed to be competitive, but instead, the Rockets swept the Magic. This was thanks in large part to Hakeem's all-around excellence, averaging 32 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and two blocks per game. It's hard to pick one standout game because he was consistently fantastic, as the results clearly indicate.

Despite New York being one of the world's great basketball cities, the Knicks went without a championship for over half a century. In 2026, though, Brunson captured the Finals MVP trophy thanks to averages of 32 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. His masterpiece came in the fifth and final game, when Brunson exploded for 45 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter.

By the early 2020s, it seemed the Warriors dynasty of the 2010s might be over. They had one more big run in them in 2022, though, which culminated in them meeting a young Celtics team in the Finals. Experience won out thanks to major moments like Curry's 43-point Game 4.

Kobe's previous Lakers championships were all won in the shadow of Shaquille O'Neal, but for the first time in 2009, he won one as the unmistakable alpha. Bryant's main draw is his scoring, of course, but he was a masterful facilitator in the series against Orlando, averaging just under eight assists per game. He set the tone early in the series with a near-triple-double in Game 1, going off for 40 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.

For years, it seemed Dirk was in danger of becoming one of the all-time greats to never win a championship, despite Dallas consistently being one of the NBA's best teams. Nowitzki finally made it happen in 2011, though. Battling through illness and injury, Nowitzki and company mustered up enough firepower to emerge on top against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh's formidable Heat team.

There's always a triple-double watch active when Jokić is playing. He logged a couple in the 2023 Finals and nearly averaged one for the five-game series. Miami didn't give Denver too much trouble, and Jokić looked effortless in the final game, scoring 28 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.

The Pistons won in 1989 and then did it again in 1990. Thomas was crucial in both series, but in '90 he claimed his first Finals MVP. He was Detroit's offensive engine all series, averaging 27 points and 7 assists per game.

The biggest shot of Kawhi's career came in the second round of the 2019 Finals against the 76ers, but he kept the momentum going into that year's Finals, too. He was the picture of consistency, averaging 28 points and 9 rebounds despite drawing much attention from Golden State's defense. While the deciding Game 6 was perhaps his least statistically remarkable night of the series, he led with composure as Toronto won the series on the road.