Hollinger's Best Single Game Performances in the Finals

[shadowgrin]

Here.
It lists 1 to 50 but you need an ESPN Insider subscription for 11 to 50.

Players in the list in order:

1. Jordan, Game 5 of '97 Finals
2. Johnson, Game 6 of '80 Finals
3. Worthy, Game 7 of '88 Finals
4. Jordan, Game 6 of '98 Finals
5. Malone, Game 5 of '98 Finals
6. Duncan, Game 1 of '03 Finals
7. Thomas, Game 6 of '88 Finals
8. Jordan, Game 2 of '91 Finals
9. Wade, Game 3 of '06 Finals
10. Jordan, Game 2 of '92 Finals

[benji]

Yeah, I didn't like this. Not one Kobe performance when the top ten should be full of them.

To be serious (lol wat benji can be?) I read this a few days ago and thought, as his ESPN columns tend to be, he does all the stats work then just dismisses it for what was most "emotional" instead of writing two lists. We already have all the other ESPN writers to write about how some player justifies their existence through how he makes them feel, we don't need another one. It's not like he doesn't anything else. He can't even keep up tweeting during an entire game.

To be snarky, Kobe performances only show up in the "worst single game performances" along with Jordan's game four and five of 1996.

Also, Duncan's game one is great, but his game six is better. I don't even care if has a worse game score. Okay, both games were amazing. It was like Duncan telling the Nets to start, if I try you lose. Then in game six reminding them of his fact by putting up a triple double so they could win at home for The Admiral.

[Jeffx]

Magic should be at #1. Best of all time, IMO.

Remember, he did this as a rookie, on the road, in the deciding game of a finals. Started at center, and played every position on the court. Doesn't get any better than that.

[Sauru]

i think you need to win the game to be in the top 10 so you can kick isiah out. then again they should have won that game as there was no foul at all on kareem so move him to number one. ok ok ok number 2 behind magic

[Rip32]

i think you need to win the game to be in the top 10 so you can kick isiah out.

Contrary to what benji said about Hollinger only taking stats into account, this one kind of throws that theory out of the window. Aside from the 43 points and 8 assists Isaiah had, he was also playing on that busted ankle, showing the heart and soul that makes moments in teh finals so memorable.

[Sauru]

and really they won the game. the refs again favored the lakers and handed them the win. just saying

[NovU]

Good to see Wade name up there with all those greats. Can't comment on Magic or a few others as I missed their time.

[Andrew]

Nice to see Jordan's Game 5 in 1997 top the list, though I'd have to agree that the list is certainly subjective in the way it mixes stats and emotion/story. I don't think that's a bad idea per se, memorable sports moments aren't remembered/measured/treasured by stats alone but you couldn't call it an objective approach or call your list definitive.

[Jeffx]

Speaking of playoff performances, how about Jo Jo White in the greatest playoff game in NBA history. If you have the time, watch all 16 parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67asBVCz ... re=related

[Andrew]

Had to look up his numbers for that one, didn't realise he was the leading scorer. The shots by Hondo and Gar Heard seem to overshadow White in stories about that game.

[The X]

Speaking of playoff performances, how about Jo Jo White in the greatest playoff game in NBA history. If you have the time, watch all 16 parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67asBVCz ... re=related

Jo Jo White was one of my favourite players from that era. Such a smooth operator

[Jeffx]

Jo Jo White was one of my favourite players from that era. Such a smooth operator

And he was always money in the playoffs, X. Watching that Game 5, I'll never forget the image of him sitting down on the court, out of gas. But he found a way to keep going. Terrific competitor.

[Sauru]

i think artest should make this list for his game 7. not cause it was really good just because he sucked the least

[NovU]

Agreed. It's pretty hard to suck the least in the last game of the season, To make the matter more exciting, it was a game 7 of the finals in this case.

I can also say all played great including and especially Artest, due to the game being awesome defense battle. But again, sucked on offense. In other words, it's just damn stupid to have discussed whether the game was sucky or not.

[Murat]

but you need an ESPN Insider subscription for 11 to 50.

Is it able to take with MONEY?

[shadowgrin]

I swear to the god that you believe in that if I ever snap from reading your posts I'm going to hack the entire internet just to find out your real name and address, find you, kill you, cut you to pieces, and use your tongue to paint my boat (if I own one).

[Murat]

sorry shadowgrin...

[NovU]

You better thank god that he doesn't believe in god.

[Murat]

You better thank god that he doesn't believe in god.

I didnt know this...I'm always thanking to god about everything...