Hoops Habit
Fansided

25 Greatest Performances In NBA Finals History

By Bill Speros

PHILADELPHIA, PA - May 16: Earvin Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with team owner Jerry Buss after they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA finals 4 games to 2 on May 16, 1980 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Johnson played for the Lakers from 1979 - 91, 96. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - May 16: Earvin Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with team owner Jerry Buss after they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA finals 4 games to 2 on May 16, 1980 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Johnson played for the Lakers from 1979 - 91, 96. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 26
Next

What are the 25 greatest single-game performances in NBA Finals history?

PHILADELPHIA, PA – May 16: Earvin Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with team owner Jerry Buss after they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA finals 4 games to 2 on May 16, 1980 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Johnson played for the Lakers from 1979 – 91, 96. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – May 16: Earvin Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with team owner Jerry Buss after they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA finals 4 games to 2 on May 16, 1980 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Johnson played for the Lakers from 1979 – 91, 96. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

The NBA Finals are all about team. Teams win titles, but players and coaches get to celebrate them. And it usually takes one or two players performing in the clutch to win their team the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The NBA Finals have been punctuated by many spectacular individual efforts. Some of the feats on our Top 25 Single-Game NBA Finals Performances list came from players whose team lost.

That lends to the nature of this list. It’s all about “me” – with “me” being the player who didn’t flinch in the spotlight, but rather used it like Superman used Earth’s sun to become all-but unstoppable. And kept their cool at the same time.

There are many wonderful and comprehensive lists that have been compiled on this subject. Many of the games noted here are universally believed to be among the best, others, not so much.

Related Story: NBA Finals History: Ranking The Last 50 Champions

Enjoy this run through the greatest of the greatest and here’s to seeing someone from the 2016 Finals earning their way onto next year’s rundown.

Next: Underdog Bites Back