NBA Playoffs: 30 best Game 7 performances in NBA Playoffs history
Best Game 7 performances in NBA Playoffs history: 22. Hakeem Olajuwon (1994)
Stat line:
- 25 points
- 10 rebounds
- 7 assists
- 3 blocks
It was a dog fight to reach the top of the mountain in 1994. During the early 90s, it seemed practically impossible to knock off Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls. But, for some reason, Jordan decided that winning three straight titles was enough to satisfy his competition thirst and opted to head over to play baseball. While the game’s greatest basketball player struck out on the baseball diamond, the rest of the NBA was hungry for an opportunity. The one player who took full advantage was Hakeem Olajuwon.
In the first full season without Jordon terrorizing the league, Olajuwon and the Rockets had an NBA Championship on the line in Game 7 against the New York Knicks. While Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing performed well all series long, in the decider, Olajuwon put the clamps on him. Ewing was only able to muster 17 points on 41.2% shooting from the field.
With the Knicks number one offensive option struggling, Olajuwon was busy delivering everywhere on the court. It may have taken him 25 shots, but Olajuwon managed to score 25 points. He also chipped in 10 boards and proved that he wasn’t a selfish player, dishing out seven assists. Not only did Olajuwon make the life of Ewing horrific that night, he gave everyone problems, blocking three shots.
Although many have wondered if Olajuwon would have been able to take home an NBA title if Jordan was still playing, considering how good he was with everything on the line, he would have given Jordan and the Bulls a run for their money.