Following Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry's masterclass to defeat the Boston Celtics, we revisit five other iconic performances from the NBA Finals.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry was masterful as he scored 43 points to lead his victory in a pivotal Game 4 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals 2022. With the risk of going down 3-1 and his team down at half-time, Curry needed to produce something spectacular, and he did just that by scoring 24 of his 43 points in the second half.
43 PTS, 7 3PT, 10 REB, 4 AST… Steph Curry PUT ON A SHOW in the Game 4 victory! 🔥 | pic.twitter.com/tQ8qNQmQac
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada)Also read: NBA Finals 2022: Stephen Curry's masterclass and Warriors’ Game 4 win in numbers
With that in mind, here are five other iconic performances where players delivered when their teams needed it the most in the NBA Finals.
Michael Jordan, Game 4, 1993- The Chicago Bulls came off a Game 3 loss when they faced the Phoenix Suns. With Phoenix having home advantage in the series, winning Game 4 was essential moving forward despite the Bulls having a 2-1 lead. Micahel Jordan ensured his team would win the pivotal game with a staggering 55-point performance. Thanks to this performance, Jordan has the second-highest points in a finals game. The Bulls would eventually win the championship in 6 games, with Jordan easily winning Finals MVP.
Michael Jordan posted 55 PTS for the in Game 4 of the 1993 NBA Finals!
The Last Dance continues Sunday, May 10 at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/vmaM58AXCV
Tim Duncan, Game 6, 2003- The San Antonio Spurs had a narrow 3-2 lead over the New Jersey Nets in the 2003 NBA Finals. In a closely contested game, Spurs' superstar and future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan delivered one of the most incredible stat lines of all time: 21 points, 20 rebounds, ten assists, and 8 Blocks to win his second championship and Finals MVP.
Tim Duncan (21 PTS, 20 REB, 10 AST, 8 BLK) delivered an iconic performance to close out the Finals 😱
Spurs vs. Nets, 2003 NBA Finals Game 6 - 10am ET on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/wJvgPNrEtx
Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, Game 5, 2016- The Cleavland Cavaliers found themselves in a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 Finals against Golden State Warriors. The immediate task in hand was a Game 5 at the home of the defending champions, who had won a record 73 games in the regular season. After a close game through three quarters, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away thanks to arguably the most iconic duo performance of all time. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving each scored 41 to start what would become one of the greatest comebacks of all time.
Kyrie Irving in Game 5 of the 2016 Finals @ GSW down 3-1 and facing elimination:
41 PTS (23 in second half)
6 AST
17/24 FG (70.8%)
5/7 3PT (71.4%)
10/14 71.4%) on CONTESTED shots
LeBron when he was asked if he’s ever seen anything like Kyrie’s performance: “Nobody has.” pic.twitter.com/J1AqD2dpkc
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Game 6, 2021- The Milwaukee Bucks were a game away from Championship Glory when they hosted the Pheonix Suns. With Game 7 in Pheonix, the stakes were raised for Milwaukee in this game. In another close game, there was one difference-maker: Giannis Antetokounmpo. Fifty points in a closeout game to win his first championship. This included 17 free throw makes out of 19, an aspect Giannis usually struggled with. When the stakes were at their highest, Giannis rose to the challenge.
All of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 50 PTS | Game 6 of 2021 Finals
pic.twitter.com/QOeQ1laHha
Also read: NBA Finals 2022: Draymond Green not 'thrilled' by 4th-quarter benching in Warriors win