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Michael Jordan is recognized by many as the greatest NBA player in the history of the league. Obviously, for many to reach that conclusion, lots of big performances in the NBA Playoffs had to be seen, and Michael Jordan certainly proved that he performed at his best on the biggest stages.
Jordan led the Phil Jackson-coached Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles, winning three straight from 1991 and 1993, and repeated that feat again winning three straight from 1996 to 1998. Of course, Scottie Pippen was Michael Jordan's sidekick in all those championships (relax, Mr. Pippen)
Michael Jordan won six NBA Finals MVPs in six appearances in the league's biggest stage, and many defined his argument for the NBA GOAT debate around those six awards and the huge moments he had in the NBA Playoffs.
Michael Jordan's Top 5 games in the NBA Playoffs
Jordan is the all-time leader in terms of career points per game in the NBA regular season (30.1) and in the Playoffs (33.4). MJ was also the first player to average over 30 ppg in playoffs in league history. In the NBA Finals, he is also the leader amongst players with at least 20 games, with 33.6 points per game.
In terms of a single NBA Finals, Michael Jordan also holds the record for highest average of points per game in league history, with 41 in the 1993 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns.
He also holds the record for most points scored in an NBA Playoffs game.
In this article, we will give you Michael Jordan's Top 5 performances in the NBA Playoffs. Taking into account the round, records set, playoff achievements and other determining factors when ordering these rankings.
Without further ado, let's take a look.
#5 1992 NBA Finals | Game 1
After winning his first NBA title in 1991, Michael Jordan returned to the NBA Finals in 1992, and the Portland Trail Blazers and Clyde Drexler were in the way of the Chicago Bulls and back-to-back titles.
Drexler, who had also led the Blazers to the 1990 NBA Finals, was one of the best shooting guards in the NBA at the time alongside Jordan. 'His Airness' wanted to make a big statement against Portland and "Clyde the Glide".
In Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan put up 35 points in the first half (NBA Finals record) and made six of his 10 attempts from the three-point line (a record in the NBA Finals at the time).
The game is also famous for Michael Jordan's shoulder shrug after making one of his three-pointers in the first half. He finished the game with 39 points, 11 assists and made 16 of his 27 shots. Eventually the Bulls won the series in six games and Jordan was named Finals MVP.
#4 1986 NBA Playoffs - First Round | Game 2
The 1985-86 Boston Celtics are definitely one of the greatest teams in NBA history, as they went 40-1 at home during the regular season and went on to win the title against the "Twin-Tower" Houston Rockets in the 1986 NBA Finals.
A young sophomore, Michael Jordan pushed those Celtics in the first round of the postseason, but the under-500 Bulls could not pull off a single win in the series.
Jordan scored 49 points on the road in Game 1, but the Bulls fell by 19 points. In Game 2, Michael Jordan put up an NBA Playoffs record for most points in a single game, with a whopping 63 points in a double-OT game.
He made 22 of his 41 field goals and 19 of 21 free throws. However, the Celtics pulled off a 135-131 win on the road to a sweep of the series. Jordan also had six assists, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the loss.
The 63-point effort broke the previous record in the NBA postseason, posted by Elgin Baylor in Game 5 of the 1962 NBA Finals with 61 points.
#3 1991 NBA Finals | Game 2
In Michael Jordan's second NBA Finals game, he put up one of the greatest performances ever seen at that stage of the competition.
In the third quarter, Jordan made 12 consecutive field goals while trying to tie the series after the LA Lakers and Magic Johnson had taken Game 1 in Chicago. Then, Jordan converted his 13 consecutive shot with a great layup that stunned everyone in the building and everyone watching.
Ultimately, the Bulls won the game and went on to win their first title in NBA history. Jordan finished Game 2 with 33 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds, two steals and made 15 of his 18 attempts from the field.
#2 1993 NBA Finals | Game 4
The Chicago Bulls won the first two games of the 1993 NBA Finals on the road against Charles Barkley's Phoenix Suns. With everyone thinking that a sweep would complete the Bulls' run for a third consecutive title, the Suns took an iconic Game-3 win in triple overtime, with Michael Jordan's 44 points ultimately proving to be not enough for Chicago.
In Game 4, Jordan led the Bulls to a 3-1 lead in the series with his career-high in the NBA Finals.
He scored 55 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists, while converting 21 of his 37 field goals and having just one turnover in 46 minutes.
Michael Jordan's 55 points matched his third-best tally in an NBA Playoffs game. Eventually, the Bulls won the series in six games, after John Paxson hit a game-winning, title-clinching three-pointer in Game 6 at Phoenix.
#1 1998 NBA Finals | Game 6
This might not be Michael Jordan's greatest NBA Playoffs performance in terms of pure statistics or efficiency, but if you watch the game over and over, Michael Jordan's effort in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals is the most iconic of his NBA career, and arguably the most iconic game in NBA history.
With the Bulls dropping Game 5 at home and losing the chance to seal the series at home, the Utah Jazz looked ready to force a Game 7 at home and probably win the series.
As Scottie Pippen struggled with a back injury, Game 6 turned into a must-win duel for the Jordan-led Bulls, who were ready to go for a third straight title and end an era with Phil Jackson leaving.
The game was tremendously close, and the Utah Jazz entered the final stage of the match with a three-point lead and 41 seconds left. Jordan converted a quick layup to cut the deficit to one with 37 seconds left, and then stole the ball from Karl Malone on the low post.
With the chance to win the game and complete the three-peat, Michael Jordan converted the most iconic shot of his NBA career, after shaking Bryon Russell off the dribble and sinking a mid-range jumper.
That shot gave the Bulls an 87-86 lead with five seconds left and the sixth NBA title of Jordan's career was sealed following a missed John Stockton game-winning three-pointer attempt at the buzzer.
Michael Jordan scored 45 of the Bulls' 87 points in the game. He grabbed one rebound and recorded one assist but did manage four steals on the night while carrying the offense.
Jordan scored 16 points in the fourth quarter of that game (Chicago scored 26), and scored four points in the final 41 seconds, including the defensive stop needed for Chicago to beat the Jazz.
It was Michael Jordan's final game with the Chicago Bulls and what subsequently became his final appearance in the NBA Playoffs.
Also read: How good was Michael Jordan in NCAA basketball? Here's a look at his college stats, career and highlights
