The 10 greatest NBA Playoffs performances of all time

8. Bill Walton, Game 6 of the 1977 NBA Finals, June 5, 1977

Heading into the 1977 NBA Finals, the Portland Trail Blazers were massive underdogs against the star-studded Philadelphia 76ers. Prior to that season, the Sixers featured All-Stars George McGinnis, Doug Collins, and World B. Free. Then, when the NBA absorbed the ABA in 1976, they gained the services of Julius Erving, better known as “Dr. J.”

Erving was one of the best all-around players in the world, as well as the game’s most exciting dunker. When Philadelphia jumped out to a two-games-to-nothing lead to start the Finals against Portland, pundits began viewing the rest of the series as a foregone conclusion with the Sixers winning it all.

However, the Trail Blazers were coached by Hall of Fame Coach Dr. Jack Ramsay; they would not go away without a fight. To the surprise of everyone, including their fans, they won the next three games and put themselves in position to close out the series in Game 6 in front of their hometown fans. That’s when their 24-year-old superstar center took matters into his own hands.

Bill Walton was a third-year player who’d established himself as a star in the NBA after a legendary college career at UCLA. With a chance to win his first NBA championship at stake, Walton turned in a performance that is still being talked about to this day. He was a workhorse on both ends of the floor, ending the game with an incredible stat line of 20 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists, and 8 blocks!

The Blazers were able to escape with a 109-107 victory in spite of the exploits of Dr. J, who scored 40 points on the night, including an incredible dunk over Walton in transition. Although Bill Walton’s career would be plagued by injuries after this series, his all-around excellence in Game 6 of the 1977 NBA Finals remains one of the greatest performances in the history of the league.