Magic Johnson heads top performances in NBA Finals history
The long NBA season finally came to an end late Tuesday night when the Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-95 to win the best-of-seven series 4-2.
But there was a surprise twist to the title: Warriors forward Andre Iguodala was voted the series Most Valuable Player over teammate Stephen Curry and Cleveland forward LeBron James.
In a poll of 11 writers and broadcasters, Iguodala got seven votes, James four and Curry, who led the Warriors in scoring in the Finals, didn’t receive any.
Iguodala came off the bench this season, for the first time in his 11-year career, until he was inserted into the starting lineup for Game 4 of the Finals. The Warriors went 3-0 with Iguodala in the starting lineup, and he averaged 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in the series. He scored 25 points in the clinching Game 6.
Here’s our look at some of the best single-game performances in NBA Finals history, five that were winners, five that weren’t:
Top 5 single-game performances by a player on the NBA Finals-winning team:
Magic Johnson, 1980, Game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers: With teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar back in Los Angeles resting a severely sprained ankle, Johnson, a rookie, showed up and showed out. Starting the game at Abdul-Jabbar’s center position instead of at his customary point guard, Johnson finished with a series-high 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in the Lakers’ 123-107 clinching contest.
Michael Jordan, 1997, Game 5 against the Utah Jazz: Strapped by the flu, Jordan had 38 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 44 minutes as the Bulls beat the Jazz 90-88 in Utah to take a 3-2 series lead. Battling fatigue and dehydration, Jordan could barely walk back to the bench during timeouts and was helped off the court after the game.
Tim Duncan, 2003, Game 6 against the New Jersey Nets: Duncan dominated this contest. In a video-game type performance for the ages, Duncan had 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and blocked eight shots in the 88-77 clincher, ending just two blocks shy of a quadruple double against the Nets.
Bill Russell, 1962, Game 7 against the Los Angeles Lakers: Russell scored 30 points and grabbed an incredible 40 rebounds – including 19 in one quarter – as the Celtics outlasted the Lakers 110-107 in a Game 7 overtime thriller. It marked the second and most recent time that Game 7 of the NBA Finals went to overtime.
Larry Bird, 1986, Game 6 against the Houston Rockets: The Celtics’ centerpiece player, Bird was totally locked in during this series-clinching 114-97 win over the Rockets. He had a triple double — 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists —against a Rockets team that featured Twin Towers Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson.
Top 5 single-game performances by a player on the NBA Finals-losing team:
Jerry West, 1969, Game 7 against the Boston Celtics: West had 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in the decisive 108-106 Game 7 loss to the Celtics. In a legend-filled series that included Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, West became the only player from a losing team to earn MVP honors in the Finals.
LeBron James, 2015, Game 2 against the Golden State Warriors: With All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love sidelined with injuries, James carried the team. In an improbable 95-93 overtime win in Oakland, James had 39 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists in the first of his two triple-doubles in the series.
Isiah Thomas, 1988, Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers: Playing on a badly sprained right ankle for the Detroit Pistons, Thomas hobbled along for 25 points in the third quarter against the Lakers. That’s the most points anyone has scored in one quarter in the Finals. Thomas finished with 43 points and eight assists, but Detroit lost 103-102, and eventually lost the series in seven games.
Jerry West, 1969, Game 1 against the Boston Celtics: The Logo, as West is affectionately called because his image is in the league’s logo, was unstoppable in the opener, scoring 53 points – still the third highest total in a Finals game – as the Lakers won 120-118. But the underdog Celtics won the series in seven games.
LeBron James, 2015, Game 5 against the Golden State Warriors: Even in the face of double and triple teams, James finished the game with 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. But the Cavaliers lost the game 104-91 on the road, then went home and had their season come to an end with a 105-97 loss in Game 6.
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Statistics for the NBA Finals MVP since the award began in 1969. (Steals and blocks were first recorded in the 1973-74 season):
Year | MVP | Team | Result | Pts. | Reb. | Ast. | Stl | Blk |
1969 | Jerry West | Los Angeles Lakers | lost to Celtics 4-3 | 39.7 | 4.7 | 7.4 | n/a | n/a |
1970 | Willis Reed | New York Knicks | def. Lakers 4-3 | 23.0 | 10.5 | 2.8 | n/a | n/a |
1971 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee Bucks | def. Bullets, 4-0 | 27.0 | 18.5 | 2.8 | n/a | n/a |
1972 | Wilt Chamberlain | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Knicks 4-1 | 19.4 | 23.2 | 2.6 | n/a | n/a |
1973 | Willis Reed | New York Knicks | def. Lakers 4-1 | 16.4 | 9.2 | 2.6 | n/a | n/a |
1974 | John Havlicek | Boston Celtics | def. Bucks 4-3 | 26.4 | 7.7 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
1975 | Rick Barry | Golden State Warriors | def. Bullets 4-0 | 29.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 0.8 |
1976 | Jo Jo White | Boston Celtics | def. Suns 4-2 | 21.7 | 4.3 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
1977 | Bill Walton | Portland Trail Blazers | def. Sixers 4-2 | 18.5 | 19.0 | 5.2 | 1.0 | 3.7 |
1978 | Wes Unseld | Baltimore Bullets | def. Supersonics 4-3 | 9.0 | 11.7 | 3.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 |
1979 | Dennis Johnson | Seattle Supersonics | def. Bullets 4-1 | 22.6 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 1.8 | 2.2 |
1980 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | def. 76ers 4-2 | 21.5 | 11.2 | 8.7 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
1981 | Cedrick Maxwell | Boston Celtics | def. Rockets 4.2 | 17.7 | 9.5 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 1.0 |
1982 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Sixers 4-2 | 16.2 | 10.8 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
1983 | Moses Malone | Philadelphia 76ers | def. Lakers 4-0 | 25.8 | 18.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
1984 | Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | def. Lakers 4-3 | 27.4 | 14.0 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 1.1 |
1985 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Celtics 4-2 | 25.7 | 9.0 | 5.2 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
1986 | Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | def. Rockets 4-2 | 24.0 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
1987 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Celtics 4-2 | 26.2 | 8.0 | 13.0 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
1988 | James Worthy | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Pistons 4-3 | 22.0 | 7.4 | 4.4 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
1989 | Joe Dumars | Detroit Pistons | def. Lakers 4-0 | 27.3 | 1.8 | 6.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
1990 | Isiah Thomas | Detroit Pistons | def. Trail Blazers 4-1 | 27.6 | 5.2 | 7.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 |
1991 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | def. Lakers 4-1 | 31.2 | 6.6 | 11.4 | 2.8 | 1.4 |
1992 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | def. Trail Blazers 4-2 | 35.8 | 4.8 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
1993 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | def. Suns 4-2 | 41.0 | 8.5 | 6.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 |
1994 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | def. Knicks 4-3 | 26.9 | 9.1 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 3.9 |
1995 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | def. Magic 4-0 | 32.8 | 11.5 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
1996 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | def. Supersonics 4-2 | 27.3 | 5.3 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
1997 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | def. Jazz 4-2 | 32.3 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 |
1998 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | def. Jazz 4-2 | 33.5 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 0.7 |
1999 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | def. Knicks 4-1 | 27.4 | 14.0 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 2.2 |
2000 | Shaquille O’Neal | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Pacers 4-2 | 38.0 | 16.7 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.7 |
2001 | Shaquille O’Neal | Los Angeles Lakers | def 76ers 4-1 | 33.0 | 15.8 | 4.8 | 0.4 | 3.4 |
2002 | Shaquille O’Neal | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Nets 4-0 | 36.3 | 12.3 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 2.8 |
2003 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | def. Nets 4-2 | 24.2 | 17.0 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 5.3 |
2004 | Chauncey Billups | Detroit Pistons | def. Lakers 4-1 | 21.0 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
2005 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | def. Pistons 4-3 | 20.6 | 14.1 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 2.1 |
2006 | Dwyane Wade | Miami Heat | def. Mavericks 4-2 | 34.7 | 7.8 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 1.0 |
2007 | Tony Parker | San Antonio Spurs | def. Cavaliers 4-0 | 24.5 | 5.0 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
2008 | Paul Pierce | Boston Celtics | def. Lakers 4-2 | 21.8 | 4.5 | 6.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 |
2009 | Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Magic 4-1 | 32.4 | 5.6 | 7.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
2010 | Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | def. Celtics 4-3 | 28.6 | 8.0 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 0.7 |
2011 | Dirk Nowitzki | Dallas Mavericks | def. Heat 4-2 | 26.0 | 9.7 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
2012 | LeBron James | Miami Heat | def. Thunder 4-1 | 28.6 | 10.2 | 7.4 | 1.6 | 0.4 |
2013 | LeBron James | Miami Heat | def. Spurs 4-3 | 25.3 | 10.9 | 7.0 | 2.3 | 0.9 |
2014 | Kawhi Leonard | San Antonio Spurs | def. Heat 4-1 | 17.8 | 6.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.2 |
2015 | Andre Iguodala | Golden State Warriors | def. Cavaliers 4-2 | 16.3 | 5.8 | 4.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 |
This story was originally published June 17, 2015 at 7:38 PM with the headline "Magic Johnson heads top performances in NBA Finals history."