Every NBA fan wants to see a Game 7. It’s when all the chips are pushed to the middle of the table and everyone plays for keeps.
In some cases, the pressure of playing with everything on the line can cause even the greatest of players to fold under pressure. With that said, the exact opposite has occurred time and time again as well.
When we looked at every Game 7 in the history of the NBA, we noticed that there have been quite a number of players who stepped up to the plate and performed like no other. But who amongst them takes the cake as the best Game 7 performer?
For this list, we’ve taken a close look at each round of the playoffs over the years. Sure, Game 7 in the NBA Finals may hold a bit more weight in some instances but for the most part, an elimination game is an elimination game. Did the requisite stars come out and shine when their teams needed them most? And if they did, how did they stack up in comparison to their peers?
We take a deep dive and look at all the numbers to answer this one. As a disclaimer, not everyone here is a Hall of Famer, although the vast majority is either inducted into the Hall or will be the moment they hang up their gym shorts.
So now, let’s take a look at who rose to the top when the fire was at its hottest.