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Top 15 Super Bowl Sunday Performances In NBA History

By Phil Watson

Feb 6, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; General view of the Blue Angels during a fly over at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; General view of the Blue Angels during a fly over at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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1970: “Pistol” Pete Maravich #44 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during an NBA game circa 1970. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1970 NBAE (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
1970: “Pistol” Pete Maravich #44 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during an NBA game circa 1970. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1970 NBAE (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. Billy Cunningham, Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks, Jan. 16, 1972
3. Pete Maravich, Atlanta Hawks vs. Philadelphia 76ers, Jan. 16, 1972

Neither team came into a Super Bowl Sunday meeting at Atlanta’s Alexander Memorial Coliseum with much momentum. The Philadelphia 76ers arrived with a 20-27 record, while the Atlanta Hawks were just 16-30.

BALTIMORE, MD – CIRCA 1970’s: Billy Cunningham #32 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the outside shot against the Baltimore Bullets during an early circa 1970’s NBA basketball game at the Capital Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Cunningham played for the 76ers from 1966 – 71, 74-76. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – CIRCA 1970’s: Billy Cunningham #32 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the outside shot against the Baltimore Bullets during an early circa 1970’s NBA basketball game at the Capital Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Cunningham played for the 76ers from 1966 – 71, 74-76. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

But future Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham put on a show for the 76ers, pouring in 45 points.

He was outdone, however, by another future enshrinee in Springfield, Mass.

Pete Maravich went off for 50 points to lead the Hawks to a 124-116 victory.

Cunningham was an All-Star for Philadelphia in 1971-72, averaging 23.3 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game before jumping to the ABA’s Carolina Cougars later that summer.

Maravich, in his second NBA season, wasn’t at that level yet. He put up averages of 19.3 points, six assists and 3.9 rebounds for Atlanta, which made the playoffs despite a 36-46 record.

In Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, MVP Roger Staubach led the Dallas Cowboys to their first title in a 24-3 win over the Miami Dolphins.

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