NBA Playoffs: The 30 most unforgettable individual playoff runs

NBA: The 30 most unforgettable individual playoff runs: 7. Shaquille O’Neal (2000)

As the last player on this list to not rank (by most) as one of the top two players of all time, 2000 was the best version of Shaquille O’Neal that anyone had ever seen. This was all the proof anyone needed that when he was completely motivated and locked in, no one in the history of basketball was better.

This season saw O’Neal win the MVP award and he was looking to win the first title of his career. Over 23 playoff games, he averaged 30.7 points (best in the league), 15.4 rebounds (best in the league), 3.1 assists and 2.4 blocks per game. In the first game of the run, he put up 46 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks on the Sacramento Kings. This was a harbinger of things to come.

In total throughout the run, Shaq had eight games in the 30s and five games in the 40s. He had five games with at least 20 rebounds and was only held below double-figure rebounds twice (getting to nine on both occasions).

Even better, Shaq was better in the Finals against the Indiana Pacers. As the playoffs went along, his dominance only increased and in the last six games of the season he averaged 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.3 assists per game.