A Thread of the 24 Best Individual Playoff Series Performances of the 2000s

1. Shaquille O’Neal vs the Pacers (2000 NBA Finals).

38.0 ppg 16.7 rpg 2.3 apg 1.0 spg 2.7 bpg on 61.1 % FG shooting & a 57.6 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 6: 41 pts, 12 rebs, 4 blks on 59 % FG shooting & 13 4th quarter points to lead & secure LA their first championship since 1988

2. Dwyane Wade vs the Mavericks (2006 NBA Finals).

34.7 ppg 7.8 rpg 3.8 apg 2.7 spg 1.0 bpg on 46.8 % Fg, 77.3 % from the FT Line & a 57.2 Ts %

Best Game:

Game 3: 42 pts, 11 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls on 54 % FG shooting, 17 4th quarter points to avoid going down 0-3 in the series

3. LeBron James vs the Warriors (2016 Finals).

29.7 ppg 11.3 rpg 8.9 apg 2.6 spg 2.3 bpg on 49 % FG shooting, 37 % from 3 & a 56 % Ts

Cavs won the series in 7 games.

Best Game:

Game 5- 41 pts, 16 rebs, 7 asts, 3 stls, 3 blks on 53 % FG shooting & 50 % from 3

4. Kevin Durant vs the Cavs (2017 NBA Finals).

35.2 ppg 8.4 rpg 5.4 apg 1.6 bpg on 55.6 % FG shooting, 47.4 % from 3, 92.7 % from the FT line & a 69.8 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 1: 38 pts, 9 rebs, 8 asts on 54 % FG shooting & 3-6 from 3 (also had the Game winning 3 in Game 1)

5. Kobe Bryant vs the Suns (2010 WCF).

33.7 ppg 7.2 rpg 8.3 apg 1.3 bpg on 52 % FG shooting, 43 % from 3, 88 % from the FT line & a 63.7 Ts %

Best Game:

Game 1- 40 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts on 56 % FG shooting & 3-8 from 3, 11-12 from the FT line & 21 3rd quarter points

6. Stephen Curry vs the Blazers (2019 WCF).

36.5 ppg 8.3 rpg 7.3 apg on 46.9 % FG shooting, 42.6 % from 3, 93.8 % from the FT line & a 66.3 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 4: 37 pts, 11 rebs, 11 asts on 44 % FG shooting, 7-16 from 3 & 8-9 from the FT line

7. Tim Duncan vs the Nets (2002 NBA Finals).

24.2 ppg 17.0 rpg 5.3 apg 1.0 apg 5.3 bpg on 49.5 % FG shooting & a 54.6 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 6: 21 pts, 20 rebs, 10 asts, 8 blks on 47 % FG shooting to lead the Spurs to their 2nd championship

8. Jamal Murray vs the Jazz (2020 First Round).

31.6 ppg 5.6 rpg 6.4 apg on 55.0 % FG shooting, 53.3 % from 3, 92.0 % from the FT line & a 68.2 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 6: 50 pts, 6 rebs, 6 asts on 71 % FG shooting, 9-12 from 3 & 21 4th quarter points

9. Dirk Nowitzki vs the Wolves (2002 First Round).

33.3 ppg 15.7 rpg 3.0 spg 1.5 bpg on 52.6 % FG shooting, 72.7 % from 3, 88.9 % from the FT line & a 68.6 Ts %

Best Game:

Game 3: 39 pts, 17 rebs, 3 stls on 65 % FG shooting, 3-3 from 3, 14-16 from the FT line

10. Damian Lillard vs the Thunder (2019 First Round).

33.0 ppg 4.5 rpg 6.0 apg 2.4 spg on 46 % FG shooting, 48 % from 3, 84.6 % from the FT line & a 62 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 5: 50 pts, 7 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls on 52 % FG shooting, 10-17 from 3 & the Game Winner to end the series

11. Kobe Bryant vs the Magic (2009 NBA Finals).

32.4 ppg 5.6 rpg 7.4 apg 1.4 spg 1.5 bpg on 43.0 % FG shooting, 36.0 % from 3 & 84.1 % from the FT line

Best Game:

Game 1: 40 pts, 8 rebs, 8 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks on 48 % FG shooting, 8-8 from the FT line & 18 3rd quarter points

12. Steve Nash vs the Mavs (2005 Semi Finals).

30.3 ppg 6.5 rpg 12.0 apg on 55.0 % FG shooting, 42.0 % from 3, 96.2 % from the FT line & a 64.0 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 4: 48 pts, 5 rebs, 6 asts, 3 stls on 71 % FG shooting, 4-6 from 3 & 12 4th quarter points

13. Stephen Curry vs the Rockets (2015 WCF).

31.2 ppg 4.6 rpg 5.6 apg 2.0 spg on 51.5 % FG shooting, 49.1 % from 3, 80.6 % from the FT line & a 68.0 Ts %

Best Game:

Game 3: 40 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts, 2 stls, 1 blk on 63 % FG shooting, 7-9 from 3 & 9-10 from the FT line

14. Kawhi Leonard vs the 76ers (2019 Semi Finals).

34.7 ppg 9.9 rpg 4.0 apg 1.3 spg on 53.0 % FG shooting, 33.3 % from 3, 85.7 % from the FT line & a 63.4 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 7: 41 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls on 41 % FG shooting, 7-8 from the FT line & 15 4th quarter points

15. LeBron James vs the Celtics (2018 ECF).

33.6 ppg 9.0 rpg 8.4 apg 1.1 spg 1.1 bpg on 52.4 % FG shooting, 40.9 % from 3, 69.2 % from the FT line & a 61.0 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 6: 46 pts, 11 rebs, 9 asts, 3 stls on 52 % FG, 5-7 from 3 & 14 4th quarter points

16. Allen Iverson vs the Raptors (2001 Semi Finals).

33.7 ppg 4.4 rpg 6.9 apg 3.1 spg on 40.5 % FG shooting, 43.2 % from 3, 79.0 % from the FT line & Two 50 pt games

Best Game:

Game 5: 52 pts, 3 rebs, 7 asts, 4 stls on 66 % FG shooting, 8-14 from 3 & 2-2 from the FT line

17. Kawhi Leonard vs the Grizzlies (2017 First Round)

31.3 ppg 6.0 rpg 3.8 apg 2.0 spg on 54.8 % FG shooting, 48.3 % from 3, 96.7 % from the FT line & a 71.5 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 4: 43 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts, 6 stls on 47 % FG shooting, 7-10 from 3 & 24 4th quarter/OT points.

18. Shaquille O’Neal vs the Nets (2001 NBA Finals).

36.3 ppg 12.3 rpg 3.8 apg 2.8 bpg on 59.5 % FG shooting, 66.2 % from the FT line & a 63.6 Ts %

Best Game:

Game 2: 40 pts, 12 rebs, 8 asts on 61 % FG shooting & 12-14 from the FT line

19. Dirk Nowitzki vs the Heat (2011 NBA Finals).

26.0 ppg 9.8 rpg 2.0 apg on 41.9 % FG shooting, 36.8 % from 3 & 97.8 % from the FT line

Best Game:

Game 3: 34 pts, 11 rebs, 1 stl, 3 blks on 52 % FG shooting, 3-5 from 3 & 9-9 from the FT line

20. LeBron James vs the Celtics (2012 ECF).

33.6 ppg 11.0 rpg 3.9 apg 1.1 spg 1.3 bpg on 52.7 % FG shooting, 29.0 % from 3, 65.0 % from the FT line & a 58.7 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 6: 45 pts, 15 rebs, 5 asts on 73 % FG shooting, 2-4 from 3 & 5-9 from the FT line

21. Kevin Durant vs the Clippers (2019 First Round).

35.0 ppg 5.3 rpg 5.3 apg 1.5 spg 1.2 bpg on 56.7 % FG shooting, 40 % from 3, 95.0 % from the FT line & a 71.9 Ts %

Best Game:

Game 6: 50 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts, on 58 % FG shooting, 6-14 from 3 & 14-15 from the FT line

22. Kobe Bryant vs the Nuggets (2009 WCF).

34.0 ppg 5.8 rpg 5.8 apg on 48.1 % FG shooting, 34.4 % from 3, 93.1 % from the FT Line & a 62.7 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 3: 41 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts, 2 stls on 50 % FG shooting, 15-17 from the FT line & 13 pts in the 4th quarter

23. Kobe Bryant vs the Kings (2001 Semi Finals).

35.0 ppg 9.0 rpg 4.3 apg 1.3 spg on 47.3 % FG shooting, 86.4 % from the FT Line & a 58.8 % Ts

Best Game:

Game 4: 48 pts, 16 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls, 1 blk on 52 % Fg shooting, 17-19 from the Ft line with 15 4th quarter points.

24. Shaquille O’Neal vs the Nets (2002 NBA Finals).

33.0 ppg 15.8 rpg 4.8 apg 3.4 bpg on 57.3 % FG shooting, 51.3 % from the FT Line & a 57.5 Ts %

Best Game:

Game 1- 44 pts, 20 rebs, 5 asts, 1 stl on 61 % FG shooting & 46 % from the FT Line