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Performing in the playoffs is a challenge any basketball player faces. For one, the stakes are higher in the playoffs than they were during the regular season. For another, a player's career path can be determined by how he performs in the playoffs.
Over the past years, we've seen players do incredible things during the playoffs. And yes, we've seen some of the best single playoff game performances -- some are already etched in the history of the NBA.
Below are the top-10 single playoff game performances by some of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!
LeBron James: Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals
The 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors finished with a 73-9 slate entering the 2016 playoffs. Many people thought they would steamroll en route to another NBA title. That was until they faced LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals for the second consecutive season.
The Warriors went up 3-1 after four games. Unfortunately, catastrophe struck Golden State afterward. Draymond Green was suspended in Game 5 after receiving a Flagrant Foul 1 in Game 4. Andrew Bogut suffered a season-ending injury in Game 5. And the Cavs won that game thanks to LeBron's 41 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and three blocks.
The Warriors had another chance to close things out in Game 6 but LeBron James had something to say. In the Cavs' 115-101 Game 6 win at home, LeBron James erupted for 41 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds, four steals, and three blocks -- another historic all-around performance that allowed Cleveland to complete the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history.
To some, the comeback wouldn't happen if not for LeBron's Game 6 heroics.
(2016) LeBron is the ONLY player in NBA history to score at least "40 PTS" in CONSECUTIVE ELIMINATION games in a single NBA Finals series. 😤
Game 5
▪️41 PTS
▪️16 REB
▪️7 AST
▪️61% TSGame 6
▪️41 PTS
▪️8 REB
▪️11 AST
▪️67% TS#WITNESS pic.twitter.com/R1KFsycSND— LeBron Factory (@LeBronFactory) May 9, 2021
Michael Jordan: The Flu Game
Playing through the flu is no longer possible today due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan was suffering from symptoms of flu and was dehydrated.
At that point, the Chicago Bulls were tied with the Utah Jazz at 2-2 in the best-of-seven series after Utah won Game 4. And with Game 5 being played on the road, the Bulls knew they needed MJ. And they got MJ -- despite the flu.
Not only did His Airness score 38 points in the Bulls' 90-88 Game 5 win, but he also nailed a three-pointer with 25 seconds left to give the Bulls the lead for good. MJ also finished with seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block in 44 minutes. That's a GOAT state indeed. Chicago went on to finish the job in Game 6.
21 years ago today, MJ dropped 38 points in the Flu Game. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NVqTd4MhYm
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 11, 2018
Magic Johnson Plays Center
Magic Johnson is regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time. However, there was a time when he played the center position -- filling the void for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
This specific game by Magic is highly regarded as one of the greatest single-game playoff performances in basketball for two things: He was a rookie back then, and it was a closeout game for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Johnson, then a rookie, delivered one of the most unforgettable playoff performances in the grandest stage of all. Magic finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and a block, and came home with the Finals MVP and a championship victory against Julius Erving and the rest of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Rookie Magic Johnson starts at center and plays every position in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was hurt
➖➖➖
42 Points
15 Rebounds
7 Assists
60 FG%
14/14 FTMA defining moment for one of the greats🔥pic.twitter.com/VQI564JZOi
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 6, 2020
The Dream's Dominant Game
Hakeem Olajuwon is a two-time NBA champion with the Houston Rockets.
In 1987, he delivered what many believe is the most dominant single playoff game performance in playoff basketball. The Rockets were hoping to force a Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals against the Seattle Supersonics with a Game 6 victory on the road.
Olajuwon, the first overall pick in the draft three years prior, finished with 49 points, 25 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and six blocks. Sadly, Seattle won the series with a 128-125 victory in double overtime.
1987 Western Conf. semifinals
Houston vs. Seattle
Game 6
Double OvertimeHakeem Olajuwon puts up 49 pts, 25 rebs & 6 blks in a loss. #NBA pic.twitter.com/kPrcTC84Xt
— NBA Greatest Player (@greatest_nba) March 13, 2017
30-40 Double-Double from Bill Russell
Nowadays, finishing with a 30-20 double-double can be done by almost any player. What about 30 points and 40 rebounds? In an NBA Finals game?
Bill Russell did just that in Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion, scored 30 points and grabbed a record-tying 40 rebounds. The Celtics won the title by three points in overtime. 40 rebounds. That's a dominant rebounding game.
60 years ago today... Bill Russell's 30 points and 40 REBOUNDS lifted the Celtics over the Lakers in Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/VhD5MSbqdb
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 18, 2022
Elgin Baylor's 61-Point Game in 1962
Another player put up massive numbers during the 1962 NBA Finals.
In Game 5 of that series, the Lakers' Elgin Baylor became the first player to score 60+ points in a playoff game with 61 points on 47.8% field-goal shooting. He added 22 rebounds to that massive stat line. Unfortunately, the Celtics won the championship two games later.
55 years ago today, Elgin Baylor drops an NBA Finals game record 61 points on the @Celtics IN Boston Garden (Game 5). LAL 126, BOS 121 pic.twitter.com/QH4mkpJiu3
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 14, 2017
Shaq's 44-21-7 Game in 2001
Shaquille O'Neal is regarded as one of the most dominant big men of all time and his body and sheer strength during his three-peat winning seasons with the Lakers were a testament to that.
In the opening game of the 2001 Western Conference semifinals against the Sacramento Kings, Shaq finished with 44 points, 21 rebounds, and seven blocks in the Lakers' 108-105 victory. What made it more impressive is the fact that the Lakers only lost one game in that playoff run -- making it one of the most dominant playoff runs ever recorded.
@SHAQ also scored back-to-back 40-point games over the course of two #NBAFinals: 41 (Gm 6, 2000); 44 (Gm 1, 2001) pic.twitter.com/aBSpCqWQP3
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 17, 2016
Barkley's 40-Point Triple-Double in 1993
Charles Barkley may have not won a championship, but that doesn't mean he didn't have a great run in the NBA. He had tons of great playoff performances -- one of those happened in Game 5 of the 1993 Western Conference Finals between Barkley's Phoenix Suns and the Seattle Supersonics.
In the Suns' 120-114 victory, Barkley finished with 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Who would have thought that a few days later, Barkley followed that up with a massive 44-point and 24-rebound performance in Game 7?
Highest scoring triple-double in a Conference Finals game:
43 — Charles Barkley
42 — LeBron James
40 — Devin Booker pic.twitter.com/rnH3boQwoM— Booker Muse (@DevinBookerMuse) January 20, 2023
Bob Cousy Shot 32 Free Throws
If you shoot 20 free throws in today's NBA, that would have been a bit much. What if we tell you someone shot 32 free throws in a playoff game?
It happened in the 1953 playoffs in a game between the Boston Celtics and the Syracuse Nationals. The Celtics took a 111-105 victory in the game that went to FOUR overtime periods. Cousy finished with 50 points in the win -- going an unbelievable 30-of-32 from the free-throw line while playing for 66 minutes.
Did you know about this record in free throws?
In basketball, Bob Cousy made 30 of 32 free throws, a record for the most free throws in one game. He was with the Boston Celtics and the year was 1953. His team still lost by six points to the Syracuse Nationals. #dyk #reddeer pic.twitter.com/8tpscuUPJ2— centralalbertacoffeenews (@centralalberta2) November 24, 2020
Timmy's Near Quadruple-Double in 2003
Getting a triple-double nowadays is almost easy. Try a quadruple-double in the grandest stage of them all. Nobody. Only a handful came close and Tim Duncan is one of them.
Duncan is highly regarded as one of the game's best power forwards. In Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals, he finished with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and eight blocks against the New Jersey Nets. Duncan and the Spurs won the championship that season with Timmy taking home the Finals MVP.
OTD in 2003: Tim Duncan put up a near quadruple double in a championship-clinching game 6.
GREATNESS. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/TNfkjYawAy
— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) June 16, 2023
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