Michael Jordan’s five best playoff campaigns in terms of points per game

Michael Jordan joined the Chicago Bulls in 1984 and has been a high-volume scorer right from the start. He even bagged Rookie of the Year honors in his first NBA season, averaging 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.

Michael Jordan’s professional career did not take time to catch flight, but his Chicago Bulls team were not title contenders instantly. They lacked depth on most occasions while during others, they fell short against their sworn rivals, the Detroit Pistons.

Things changed in the early 90s and Michael Jordan started making a trip to the NBA Finals every other year. Let’s take a look at the five best playoff campaigns of his career (first round exits excluded).

#5 1991-92 – 34.5

Coming off a championship season, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls experienced a sweet taste of victory. In the 1991-92 season, they were more determined than ever.

Michael Jordan won the regular season Most Valuable Player, averaging 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 80 played games. The Chicago Bulls took the first seed with an impressive 67-15 record.

In the first round, Michael Jordan was in no mood to waste any time. The Chicago Bulls swept the Miami Heat 3-0, with Jordan scoring 56 points in Game 3. The New York Knicks in the next round managed to force Game 7, but Michael Jordan came up with a 42-point performance to end the series.

The Bulls beat the Cavaliers in six games to reach the 1992 NBA Finals. They took on the Portland Trail Blazers and claimed the NBA Championship in six games. Jordan’s best performance was in Game 1 of the series where he scored 6 out of 10 from the deep and tallied 39 points. His scoring average of 34.5 in the 1992 NBA playoffs is his fifth best.

#4 1988-89 – 34.8

In the 1988-89 season, Michael Jordan averaged 34.8 points, 7 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 2.5 steals in the playoffs. After a 47-35 win-loss record during the regular season, the Chicago Bulls were placed sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. Michael Jordan’s contribution was not just in scoring as he had seven games with double digit assists throughout the 1989 NBA Playoffs.

In the first round, the Chicago Bulls beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-2, playing well defensively as well. Michael Jordan recorded his only triple-double of the 1989 playoffs in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks.

After six games and a series record of 4-2, Michael Jordan and the Bulls met the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals. After starting strong and holding a 2-1 lead, the Chicago Bulls lost three games in a row to hand the series to the Pistons.

#3 1992-93 – 35.1

Under head coach Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were poised to record their first three-peat. The New York Knicks played well in the regular season, holding the Bulls to second position.

In the playoffs, Michael Jordan efficiently took care of the Atlanta Hawks with a sweep in the first round. In the Eastern Conference semifinals, they faced the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a one-sided affair with the winner being decided by a 4-0 sweep.

The Chicago Bulls went on to face the mighty New York Knicks, led by Patrick Ewing, in the Eastern Conference finals. After losing their first two games, Michael Jordan took things into his own hands, recording a double-double with 22 points and 11 assists in Game 3.

With 54 points in Game 4, shooting 60% from the field, Michael Jordan tied the series at 2-2. The Bulls won the series 4-2 and reached the NBA Finals for the third consecutive season. Michael Jordan did not score below 30 points in even one game in the 1993 NBA Finals. The Bulls beat the Phoenix Suns in six games to claim the NBA Championship and complete their three-peat season.

#2 1987-88 – 36.3

Michael Jordan has reached the playoffs in all the seasons he played for the Chicago Bulls. In the 1987-88 season, Jordan was named the Most Valuable Player for the first time in his career, leading the league in scoring and steals. The Chicago Bulls finished third in the Eastern Conference and drew Cleveland in their first-round match-up.

After the series being tied at 2-2, Michael Jordan recorded 39 points and 6 assists in Game 5 to get past the first round for the first time in his career. Jordan had two 50-point games in the Cavaliers series. The Bulls played the Pistons in the next round and could secure only one win in the series. Michael Jordan’s averages of 36.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4,7 assists were not enough to go deep into the 1988 NBA Playoffs.

#1 1989-90 – 36.7

The 1990 NBA Playoffs were the best for Michael Jordan in terms of individual contributions. He averaged 36.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.8 steals in 16 games. At the end of the regular season, the Chicago Bulls finished second in the Eastern Conference with 55 wins. They had a wealth of talent and the squad was coming together like never before.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls took on the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, winning the series convincingly with a 3-1 record. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Michael Jordan averaged 43 points and was defensively quick, averaging 4 steals per game.

The Chicago Bulls beat the Philadelphia 76ers 4-1 to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, where they took on the Detroit Pistons. Things were shaky initially for the Bulls as they lost their first two games.

Michael Jordan scored 47 and 42 points in the next two games to even the series at 2-2. The series was then forced into seven games with Detroit eventually winning the matchup.