Even though the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors, LeBron James put up one of the greatest Finals performances in NBA history. How does he stack up against the best of the best?
5) Hakeem Olajuwon, 1994
Long dubbed as a player who couldn't win the big one, Olajuwon put those claims to rest with a monstrous performance against the New York Knicks. In 43.1 minutes per game, he put up 26.9 points, 9.1 boards, 3.9 blocks and 3.6 assists against one of the best defenses in NBA history, giving the Rockets their first title in franchise history.
4) LeBron James, 2015
LeBron just put up the best statistical Finals in NBA history, averaging 35.8 points, 8.8 assists, and 13.3 rebounds per game, becoming the first player to lead both teams in all three categories. However, he shot just 39.8 percent from the field and his net rating of -7.5 was among the worst in the Finals - and they lost.
3) Tim Duncan, 2003
Duncan put on the most underrated Finals performance in league history against Kenyon Martin, Dikembe Mutombo, and the New Jersey Nets, putting up 24.2 points, 17.0 boards, 5.3 assists, and 5.3 blocks. In the series clinching game, Duncan carried the Spurs back from an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit by coming just two blocks short of a quadruple-double. His 32.0 PER is also the second-best in Finals history.
2) Michael Jordan, 1998
Not only did he produce the most iconic image in NBA Finals history, but his 33.5 points per game and 30.8 PER are enough to catapult this to the No. 2 spot on this list. Jordan also stepped up big when it mattered most - scoring 37 points to steal home-court advantage from the Jazz in Game 2, and then scored 45 points in the clincher.
1) Dwyane Wade, 2006
After the Heat fell down 0-2 to the Dallas Mavericks, Wade absolutely caught fire to lead Miami to four straight wins. He averaged 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 steals throughout the series, and his 33.8 PER is easily the best of anyone since the NBA-ABA merger.
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