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#4 Shaquille O’Neal (2000 NBA Finals)
![Kobe Bryant #8 and Shaquille O'Neal #34 [Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/07/d9352-16260926019011-800.jpg)
Shaquille O’Neal’s most dominant season is arguably the 1999-2000 season especially with a dominant NBA Finals performance. Not only did the LA Lakers win the championship that season, O’Neal also won league and Finals MVP in the same year.
In addition, Diesel also became just the fourth player to record 40 points in back-to-back games in the NBA Finals, doing so in Games 1 and 2.
The Lakers won Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers, 104-87, with O’Neal scoring 43 points and pulling down 19 rebounds. He had a similar performance in Game 2 but with a 40-20 outing as he scored 40 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in their second consecutive win.
The 2000 NBA Finals would last six games but the Lakers would ultimately win out with O’Neal winning Finals MVP for the first time in his career.
#5 LeBron James (2016 NBA Finals)
LeBron James put the Cleveland Cavaliers on his back in the 2016 NBA Finals, leading them to the championship in dramatic fashion. After going down 3-1 in the series against the Golden State Warriors, the four-time MVP would play two of the best games of his career.
In Games 5 and 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals, James recorded back-to-back 41-point games to help the Cavs stave off elimination both times. In Game 5, James and teammate Kyrie Irving each scored 41 points in a 112-97 win on the road.
James would continue his hot-streak in Game 6, going 16-of-27 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point territory to allow the Cavs to tie the series at 3-3.
Cleveland would finish off the historic comeback with a 93-89 victory in Game 7 and capture their first championship as James won his third NBA Finals MVP.
#6 Giannis Antetokounmpo (2021 NBA Finals)
Antetokounmpo is the latest player to score more than 40 points in the NBA Finals. In the 118-108 loss in Game 2, he scored 20 points in a sizzling hot third period to join Jordan, Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars as the only players to score at least that many in a quarter.
Aside from the 42 points he scored, he also hauled down 12 rebounds, which would be significant three days later.
The Bucks went on to rout the Suns 120-100 in Game 3. Antetokounmpo’s output of 41 points and 13 rebounds not only made him part of the back-to-back 40-point club, he also joined O’Neal as the only players in NBA Finals history to record back-to-back 40-point, 10-rebound games.
O’Neal accomplished the feat in 2000, but Antetokounmpo could surpass the Lakers legend if he does the same in Game 4 on Wednesday to become the only player to do so in three consecutive Finals matches.
Also Read: 5 Reasons why Milwaukee Bucks won 120-100 against Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Finals
