NBA Playoffs: The 30 most unforgettable individual playoff runs

NBA: The 30 most unforgettable individual playoff runs: 6. Michael Jordan (1989)

Entering into the top six of this list is basically an exercise comparing the resumes of the two greatest players of all time. Both Michael Jordan and LeBron James are legendary regular season players who took their games to another level as the lights grew brighter.

Funny enough, Jordan’s best playoff runs as an individual did not result in him winning championships. In 1989, Jordan led the league in scoring (32.5 points per game) and appeared primed to take his team to the promised land. In the playoffs, he was even better, averaging 34.8 points (best in the league), 7.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.

This is the run that includes the famous shot over Craig Ehlo to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. Then came a tough series against the New York Knicks that went to six games. Over the first two rounds of the playoffs, Jordan averaged 37.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game. Then came the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons were once again too much for Jordan and the Bulls. Jordan, for his part, he was more limited than normal. Over the six games he averaged 29.7 points, 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game and saw his shooting drop from 53.4 percent to 46.0 percent. The next season was even better.