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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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BOSTON, MA – 1960: Bill Russell #6 of the Boston Celtics looks for the rebound from the shot of Elgin Baylor #22 of the Los Angeles Lakers circa the 1960’s during an NBA game at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – 1960: Bill Russell #6 of the Boston Celtics looks for the rebound from the shot of Elgin Baylor #22 of the Los Angeles Lakers circa the 1960’s during an NBA game at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

3 (tie) Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles vs. Boston, Game 5 (1962)
3 (tie) Bill Russell, Boston vs. Los Angeles, Game 7 (1962)

This series was punctuated by two of the greatest performances in NBA Finals history. The Lakers were making their first Finals appearance since the move west from Minneapolis. It would be the first Boston-L.A. NBA Finals.

Elgin Baylor, who spent part of the season serving in Fort Lewis, Wash., as an Army reservist, emerged as a dominant offensive force.

He set a Finals record that remains intact 54 years later by scoring 61 points (along with 22 rebounds) to lead the Lakers to a to 126-121 victory in Boston in Game 5.

"“He had that wonderful, magical instinct for making plays and doing things that you had to just stop and watch. He is without a doubt one of the truly great people who played this game,” Jerry West would say."

Boston would force a Game 7, and that where Russell shone brightest. Russell scored 30 points and controlled both ends of the floor with 40 rebounds in the title-clincher. The contest went into overtime before the Celtics won their fourth of eight consecutive titles with a 111-107 victory.

Next: The Shot