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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) /
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UNITED STATES – APRIL 30: Basketball: NBA Finals, Los Angeles Lakers Wilt Chamberlain (13) in action, taking layup vs New York Knicks Jerry Lucas (32), Cover, Inglewood, CA 4/30/1972 (Photo by George Long/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X16769)
UNITED STATES – APRIL 30: Basketball: NBA Finals, Los Angeles Lakers Wilt Chamberlain (13) in action, taking layup vs New York Knicks Jerry Lucas (32), Cover, Inglewood, CA 4/30/1972 (Photo by George Long/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X16769) /

9. Wilt Chamberlain, Los Angeles vs. New York, Game 5 (1972)

Thanks to the bigger-than-life Wilt Chamberlain, the Los Angeles Lakers easily cleared the field in 1972. They won a then-record 69 games, including a professional sports record of 33 in a row at one point that still stands. The Lakers swatted the Bucks to take the Western Finals in six games.

The Knicks beat Boston in the East. That set up a rematch of the 1970 Finals, won by the Knicks in seven games. The Knicks picked up where they left off in the 1970 Finals and pulled off a stunning upset to win Game 1 at the Forum.

The Lakers would win three straight after remembering they were the same team that had won 33 straight during the season. The Knicks received a faint glimmer of hope before Game 5 as pre-Twitter reports said Chamberlain would be unable to play.

Ahh, but this was the 1970s. Whatever it took.

Wilt took an anti-inflammatory shot before the game and responded with 24 points and 29 rebounds. Wilt’s efforts handed the Lakers their first championship in Los Angeles in eight tries and his second Finals MVP award.

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