Hoops Habit
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 15
Next
UNITED STATES – APRIL 25: Basketball: NBA finals, Milwaukee Bucks Lew Alcindor (33) in action vs Baltimore Bullets, Baltimore, MD 4/25/1971 (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X15806 TK1)
UNITED STATES – APRIL 25: Basketball: NBA finals, Milwaukee Bucks Lew Alcindor (33) in action vs Baltimore Bullets, Baltimore, MD 4/25/1971 (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X15806 TK1) /

11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics, Jan. 17, 1971

The Milwaukee Bucks were an NBA-best 37-7 and riding an eight-game winning streak when the Boston Celtics came to the Milwaukee Arena on Jan. 17, 1971.

The Celtics, just 26-21 and en route to missing the playoffs for the second straight season after their record run of 11 titles in 13 years, took a 60-56 halftime lead, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took care of business in the second half.

Abdul-Jabbar was on his way to the first of his six NBA MVP awards in 1970-71 and torched the Celtics for 44 points on this Super Bowl Sunday. He led the NBA in scoring that season at 31.7 points per game, also averaging 16.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 57.7 percent from the floor and 69 percent at the line.

Milwaukee won its only title that season, sweeping the Baltimore Bullets behind Abdul-Jabbar, who was named Finals MVP.

In Super Bowl V, played at Miami’s old Orange Bowl, the Baltimore Colts topped the Dallas Cowboys on Jim O’Brien’s 32-yard field goal at the gun. It was the first Super Bowl following the merger of the AFL and NFL and Super Bowl V was significant in that it was the only time a player from the losing side—linebacker Chuck Howley of Dallas—was named MVP.

Next: Scottie Demolishes The Dubs