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LeBron James' Game 5 performance and Jimmy Butler's game-winning triple-doubles in this year's NBA Finals are some of the greatest individual performances in history. In this article, we will take a look at the top 10 individual performances in the NBA Finals from the 21st century.
Top 10 individual performances in the NBA Finals from the 21st century
Performing well in the regular season and the early rounds of the NBA Playoffs is a task in itself, but reaching a high level of play in the NBA Finals is proof of greatness, impressive individual skills, and mental toughness.
Without further ado, let us get started with the top 10 individual performances in the NBA Finals from the 21st century
#10 Allen Iverson - 2001 NBA Finals, Game 1
The Philadelphia 76ers were clear underdogs against the almighty 2001 Los Angeles Lakers. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant made it to the NBA Finals with an unbeaten run through the first three rounds of the playoffs, but Allen Iverson had something to say about their perfect run.
Counting the last eight games of the regular season, the Lakers reached the NBA Finals with a 19-game winning streak. However, Iverson's 48 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals put an end to that historical run.
The Lakers went on to win the NBA Finals in five games, but Iverson's performance, including his "step over" Tyronn Lue when sealing the game in OT will always be remembered by NBA fans.
#9 Tim Duncan - 2003 NBA Finals, Game 6
Tim Duncan is not known for being a stats guy, but his numbers were always great in the biggest stage of the NBA. In the 2003 NBA Finals, Duncan's second run to a championship, the San Antonio Spurs clashed with the New Jersey Nets and Duncan took over.
In Game 6, with the Spurs looking to close the series, Duncan had one of the best performances ever in an NBA Finals game as he got close to an unprecedented quadruple double in the title-deciding series. This is how Duncan's stat line for the game looked: 21 points (9/19 FG), 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks in more than 45 minutes.
The Spurs won the second title in franchise history after their 1999 success, and Duncan grabbed his second NBA Finals MVP in just his sixth season. For the entire series, Duncan averaged 24 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks in the six-game NBA Finals series.
#8 LeBron James - 2013 NBA Finals, Game 7
Game 7 of the NBA Finals is the biggest stage in basketball. LeBron James lived up to the expectations of a Miami Heat second-straight title with a spectacular shooting performance of the 2013 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
After Ray Allen's epic game-tying, season-saving shot with five seconds left in Game 6, James took over in Game 7 seven and sealed the deal. In a series in which the Spurs' defensive philosophy was to prevent James from attacking the basket and forcing him to take long shots, The King found his rhythm in Game 7, hitting five threes on his way to a 37-point night.
His 12 rebounds were also key to the Heat. Also, nine points in the fourth quarter, including a jumper to extend the Heat's lead to four points with 27 seconds on the clock, were essential. James grabbed his second straight NBA Finals MVP award after his extraordinary performance.
#7 Jimmy Butler - 2020 NBA Finals, Game 3
With the Heat down 0-2 after two harsh defeats and with two of their main players - Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic - out with injuries, Game 3 was a must-win if Miami were thinking about a miracle in the current NBA Finals.
Jimmy Butler understood the message and had one of the best NBA Finals performances of the modern era. Butler's 40-point triple-double, including 11 rebounds and 13 assists, allowed the Heat to take their first win of the series.
It was the third 40-point triple-double in NBA Finals history, after Jerry West and LeBron James had done it in the 1969 and 2015 NBA Finals respectively.
#6 Kobe Bryant - 2009 NBA Finals, Game 1
Coming off triumphs against the reigning champions Boston Celtics in the second round and the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, the 2009 Orlando Magic were an unstoppable force that met with an immovable object in Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers.
After their defeat in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant and the Lakers came out firing on all cylinders in the 2009 NBA Finals. Bryant scored 40 points, assisted his teammates 8 times, and grabbed 8 rebounds to lead his team to an early lead in an NBA Finals they eventually won in five games.
Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP for the first time after averaging 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists in the series.
#5 Dwyane Wade - 2006 NBA Finals, Game 3
After the Heat lost the first two games of the series against the Dallas Mavericks by double digits, their backs were against the wall. The team looked lacklustre in the start of the series, but Dwyane Wade's historic effort in Game 3 put them right back in the series.
Wade scored 42 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Heat's 2-point win. In the fourth quarter, the Heat scored 30 points, and 15 came from Wade alone. Gary Payton also came up big for the Heat, hitting the go-ahead shot with nine seconds on the clock before Wade sealed the game from the FT line.
#4 Kyrie Irving - 2016 NBA Finals, Game 7
The 2016 NBA Finals are one of the most memorable series of all time, and easily the most memorable in the 21st century.
When the Cleveland Cavaliers returned from their 3-1 deficit to the Golden State Warriors, Kyrie Irving played a huge role alongside LeBron James. In Game 7, Irving scored 26 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, but the ultimate moment of the game came with 53 seconds on the clock, when he hit the game-clinching three-pointer over Stephen Curry.
Before Irving's shot, the game had been tied at 89 apiece from the 4:39 minute mark of the fourth quarter.
#3 Dirk Nowitzki - 2011 NBA Finals, Game 2
Though Dirk Nowitzki's performance in Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals was not the most spectacular game of his career statistically, he came up big in the closing stages to give the Dallas Mavericks a pivotal win in the series.
Before the Mavs controlled the Miami Heat from Game 4 four until Game 6 of the 2011 NBA Finals, the pivotal moment was Game 2, particularly the fourth quarter. With the Heat leading by 15 points with six minutes left, the Mavs mounted a comeback which Nowitzki capped off by scoring nine straight points, including the game-winning layup with two seconds left.
More than a statistically great performance, this was a clutch display by the German which probably ignited the Mavs' run to the 2011 title. Also, his Game 4 performance, in which he scored 10 points in the fourth quarter while playing with a fever, was huge for his NBA Finals MVP award.
His stat line in Game 2 was 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists in 42 minutes.
#2 LeBron James - 2016 NBA Finals, Game 6
LeBron James had a unique 2016 NBA Finals performance. Not only did he lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA title after falling 3-1 down (becoming the first team to overcome that deficit in the NBA Finals), he also led both teams on every statistics - points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
In Game 6 at Cleveland, The King dominated with 41 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 blocks to force a Game 7 which the Cavs eventually won.
#1 LeBron James - 2016 NBA Finals, Game 7
Another performance from the 2016 NBA Finals and another one from LeBron James.
As the historically great 2016 NBA Finals came to a close at Oracle Arena for Game 7, the momentum was with the Cavs. The King played his part fantastically well in Game 7, achieving a 27-point triple-double with 11 rebounds and 11 assists, and leading the Cavs to a 93-89 win.
Kyrie Irving's game-winning shot was the turning point of the game, but it was James who commanded Cleveland's attack in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of the team's 18 points in the period. His transition block on Andre Iguodala with the game tied and 1:50 minutes on the clock was memorable and impressive.
James took his third NBA Finals MVP trophy with averages of 29.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 8.9 assists on 49 percent shooting.
Also Read: NBA Trade Options: 3 most valuable assets for the Miami Heat going into the 2020-21 season.
Guess the Lakers players!
