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Best Rookie Games in NBA History

Ja Morant did his best to carry the shorthanded Grizzlies to the playoffs, but they fell short in the play-in game, despite his career-high 35 points. Morant capped a dominant rookie season with his clutch performance, but he unfortunately won’t be able to continue his journey into the playoffs. In honor of Morant, here are the 10 best rookie games in NBA history. Only playoff games were considered for this list, as many first-year players have stepped up when the stakes are highest.

(Note: This list focuses on the NBA, so noteworthy rookie performances by Julius Erving, George Mikan, and others in the ABA, BAA, and NBL are not included).

10 (tie) Alvan Adams, 1976 Western Conference Finals, Game 7 (18 points, 20 rebounds, 3 assists); Bill Russell, 1957 NBA Finals, Game 7 (19 points, 32 rebounds): The 1976 Western Conference Finals pitted the 59-win defending champion Warriors against the 42-40 Cinderella Phoenix Suns. In Game 7, Phoenix used a balanced attack to shock the Warriors at home and make their first Finals appearance. Adams, the Rookie of the Year, dominated the boards, and helped hold the opposing center, Clifford Ray, to two points on 0 for 6 from the field. Nineteen years earlier, Russell helped lead the Celtics to their first title in what may be the greatest game of all time. He played 54 minutes in the double-overtime thriller, and his two-way impact is perfectly encapsulated by this highlight.

9. Larry Bird, 1980 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 4 (34 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 13 for 20 from the field): Bird had a good debut playoff run, and in this game, he finished off the Houston Rockets with a virtuoso performance. He struggled in the previous games of this series, averaging 15.7 PPG in the first three contests on 45.8% from the field, but he found his rhythm here to lead Boston to the Eastern Conference Finals. Ironically, Boston would face Houston in the NBA Finals the following year, and would continue their domination of the Rockets with their first title of the Bird era.

8. Elgin Baylor, 1959 Western Division Finals, Game 6 (33 points, 8 rebounds, 13 for 23 from the field): Baylor carried a 33-39 Lakers team to the NBA Finals in his rookie season. In the Western Division Finals, they faced the defending champion St. Louis Hawks, who finished 16 games ahead of Minneapolis in the standings. While the Hawks blew the Lakers out in games 1 and 3 (by 34 and 30 points respectively), Minneapolis won the close games, including this series-clincher by two points. Although they would get swept by Boston in the NBA Finals, Baylor, the Rookie of the Year that season, was fearless throughout that run.

7. Hakeem Olajuwon, 1985 Western Conference First Round, Game 5 (32 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, 12 for 19 from the field): Dream capped a brilliant rookie season with a clutch performance in the deciding game of the first round. Utah struggled with both of Houston’s Twin Towers, as Ralph Sampson went for 23 and 13. Despite their dominance, Utah prevailed, but Olajuwon foreshadowed his future playoff excellence with this masterpiece.

Olajuwon was dominant (and clutch) from day one Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

6. Tom Meschery, 1962 Eastern Division Finals, Game 7 (32 points, 11 rebounds, 10 for 19 from the field): As previously mentioned, Meschery almost led the Warriors to an upset over the three-time defending champions. This was an amazing game, which is described in detail in the top comment at this link. Meschery’s season-high point total wasn’t enough to topple the mighty Celtics, as Sam Jones’s game-winning jumper sent Boston to their sixth straight Finals appearance.

5. Jamaal Wilkes, 1975 Western Conference Finals, Game 7 (23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 10 for 19 from the field): Wilkes (who went by Keith at the time) may have been the best player on the floor of this slugfest, which ended with the Warriors winning 83-79 to advance to the Finals. Outside of Wilkes, Golden State shot 27 for 77 from the field, and Rick Barry was miserable at the outset, shooting 2 for 15 into the third quarter. Barry played better in the second half, and Chicago faded due to their lack of bench support, but Wilkes was the key factor that led Golden State to the Finals (and an eventual championship).

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1970 Eastern Division Semifinals, Game 5 (46 points, 25 rebounds): Kareem capped a masterful series (36.2 PPG, 15.8 RPG) with his most prolific performance, clinching the series 4-1 and advancing Milwaukee to the Eastern Division Finals. Philadelphia had nobody who could stop Jabbar, who put up 36 shots from the field while shooting 15 free throws. Although they’d lose to the Knicks in the next round, Kareem would continue to dominate, averaging 34.2 PPG and 17.8 RPG against league MVP Willis Reed in their five-game loss.

3. Tom Heinsohn, 1957 NBA Finals game 7 (37 points, 23 rebounds): Heinsohn’s masterpiece was previously highlighted in this space as the 10^th best Game 7 performance of all time. Before he fouled out, he helped carry Boston’s offense, which was suffering due to the meltdown of their starting guards. The Rookie of the Year never had a finer moment, and his effort launched the greatest dynasty in history.

2. Wilt Chamberlain, 1960 Eastern Division Semifinals, Game 3 (53 points, 22 rebounds): Even though this was the third game of the series, think of it as a game 7, since the semifinals were best of three at the time. Chamberlain, who was Rookie of the Year and MVP, shredded the Nationals, shooting 24 for 42 from the field and helping to give Philadelphia a +20 advantage on the glass. As usual, the only thing that Wilt didn’t do was shoot free throws well, as he went 5 for 16 from the stripe. It didn’t make a difference, as Philadelphia built a 15 point halftime lead and never looked back, on the shoulders of their superstar rookie.

1. Magic Johnson, 1980 NBA Finals, game 6 (42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists): 40 years later, this remains the gold standard of rookie games, and it is in the running for best game ever played, regardless of tenure. Johnson showcased his one-of-a-kind versatility by playing every position and filling Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s shoes as the dominant force on the floor. Kareem was still the best player in the league at this point, so Magic was often overlooked that season, as seen in the Rookie of the Year voting (Magic lost 63-3 to Larry Bird). This quote, by Philadelphia’s Doug Collins, says it all: “Magic was outstanding. Unreal…I knew he was good but I never realized he was great…You don’t realize it because he gives up so much of himself for Kareem.” This performance singlehandedly propelled him to win the Finals MVP award, and everyone recognized his greatness from that point forward.

Honorable Mention:

Wilt Chamberlain’s playoff averages in 1960: 9 games, 33.2 PPG, 25.8 RPG, a league-leading 27.0 PER…Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s (Lew Alcindor at the time) playoff averages in 1970: 10 games, a league-leading 35.2 PPG, 16.8 RPG, 4.1 APG, a league-leading 56.7% field goal percentage, plus league-leading PER, defensive rating, true shooting percentage, and WS/48. Clearly, they could (and should) have had more entries on this list (including Wilt’s 50 point, 35 rebound effort against Bill Russell in a Game 5 win in the Eastern Division Finals to stave off elimination), though we only highlighted their single best effort here…In Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Magic Johnson put up 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to clinch the series over the defending champion Sonics. This sent the Lakers to the Finals, and set up Magic’s MVP performance against the Sixers…Andrew Toney became the “Boston Strangler” in his first season, overwhelming the Celtics with 61 combined points in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals off the bench. The Sixers would take a 3-1 lead in that series, before succumbing in seven games…In the 1985 Eastern Conference Finals, Charles Barkley helped Philadelphia avoid a sweep with 15 points, 20 boards, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Philadelphia would ultimately succumb in five games, and Barkley would never get this close to a title again until he was traded to Phoenix…In the first round of the same playoffs, Michael Jordan helped Chicago stave off elimination with 35 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals against a 59-win Bucks team…David Robinson dominated the Nuggets in the first round of the 1990 playoffs, leading San Antonio to a three-game sweep. In game 2, he put up 31 points on 11 for 16 from the field, with 12 rebounds and 5 blocked shots…Sam Cassell was a key cog on the ’94 championship Rockets team. In Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Suns, he scored 22 points on 8 for 12 from the field and dished out 7 assists in 29 minutes off the bench…In his first playoff game ever, Tim Duncan scored 32 points and grabbed 10 boards to lead San Antonio to victory. Then, in the next round against the defending Western Conference champion Utah Jazz, he put up 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots in a narrow Game 1 defeat…Boobie Gibson had one of the great random games ever in Game 6 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, scoring 31 points on 5 for 5 shooting from downtown to help send the Cavaliers to their first NBA Finals. He led all scorers on that magical night in only 29 minutes off the bench…In his playoff debut, Derrick Rose scored 36 points, and had 11 assists to lead Chicago to an upset victory over Boston. Rose shot 12 for 19 from the field and 12 for 12 from the foul line in his breakout performance. This overtime game foreshadowed what was to come in this series, which might have been the best first round series ever…Ja Morant’s play-in game performance wasn’t perfect (8 turnovers, 15 missed shots), but he kept Memphis competitive against a superior opponent despite a fractured thumb.

Worst Game 7 Performances in NBA History

In 2016, LeBron James had the defining moment of his career, slaying the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in game seven on their home floor. James had a triple-double that game and added perhaps the most iconic blocked shot in league history. However, that game was an offensive struggle for both teams, with James shooting 9 for 24 from the field.

NBA history is littered with uneven shooting performances when the stakes are highest, even among the game’s greatest players. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson combined to shoot 11 for 32 in Game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen combined to shoot 15 for 43 in Game 7 of the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana. Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan shot 6 for 24 and 10 for 27, respectively, in Game 7 of the 2010 and 2005 NBA Finals, and still brought home MVP honors for those series (as did Bird in 1984 and James in 2016).

There are some Game 7 performances that particularly stand out for the wrong reasons. What happened to the players during these games? Was the moment too big, or did the defense figure them out after a six-game sample? Did they simply have a bad shooting day at an inopportune time? Every circumstance is different, as you’ll see below.

This post highlights 10 of the worst Game 7 performances in NBA history. This list is skewed toward offensive performances, since defensive tracking is difficult for games, especially in the pre-merger era. I’m also focusing on the very highest stakes games – only semifinals and finals games are included.

Dishonorable Mention: The first three quarters of Kobe’s performance in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals were shockingly awful, but he had a spirited fourth quarter and wound up with 23 points and 15 rebounds in spite of his 6 for 24 shooting performance. In the same game, Ray Allen shot 3 for 14, capping a series where he shot just 36.7% overall…In Game 7 of the 1979 Eastern Conference Finals, Tom Henderson put up 0 points on 0 for 9 shooting in 30 minutes. Despite his effort, tbe Bullets beat the Spurs and went to their second straight NBA Finals…Bob Love shot 6 for 26 from the field in a four-point Chicago loss to Golden State in the 1975 Western Conference Finals. Chicago only scored 79 points that game, and Love shot 10 more times than any other teammate…The Boston Celtics shot 32.7% from the field as a team in Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals and still found a way to beat the Lakers by the three…In the previous round, the Celtics won another Game 7, this time against the Philadelphia Warriors, and won on a last second Sam Jones shot. Paul Arizin shot 4 for 22 for Philadelphia. Curiously, Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 50.4 PPG in the regular season, took only 15 shots. He scored 22 points and grabbed 22 rebounds, and was clutch down the stretch, but this was the rare example of the Warriors version of Wilt being too unselfish.

10. Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown, 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 7 (combined 8 for 42 from the field, 21 total points): In 2018, an overachieving Celtics team without Kyrie Irving (and Gordon Hayward, who missed virtually the entire season after a gruesome opening-night injury) advanced to the brink of the NBA Finals in a weak Eastern Conference. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers stood in their way, but they were not the juggernaut of year’s past. Kevin Love, Cleveland’s second leading scorer, did not play in this game due to a concussion. Boston also had homecourt, since Cleveland only won 50 games that season. However, the moment seemed too big for a young Celtics team. Brown, who played like a future star throughout their unlikely playoff run, shot 5 for 18 from the field, and 3 for 12 from 3. Marcus Smart, a notoriously inconsistent shooter, made only one of his 10 shots. Finally, the clock struck midnight on Terry Rozier, who impressively filled Irving’s shoes throughout the playoffs. Rozier shot 2 for 14 from the field, and 0 for 10 from three, part of an embarrassing 7 for 39 team performance from long distance. While Boston would have had no chance against the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, this game may have represented their best shot at the Finals in this era, considering the rise of the Toronto Raptors the next season and the dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the following years.

9. Chris Bosh, 2013 NBA Finals, Game 7 (0 for 5 from the field, 0 points): The Heat won the 2013 Finals, and Bosh’s rebound in Game 6, and subsequent pass to Ray Allen, will live in history. However, it’s odd for a future Hall-of-Famer who averaged 16.6 points per game in the regular season to score zero points and shoot only five times in the season’s biggest game. Bosh was an all-around player, and wound up +1 for the game, but this performance would have been (rightfully) vilified if Miami lost. It should be noted that Ray Allen also had 0 points in this game, but he was more of a role player than Bosh in the Heat’s scheme, and was fresh off of perhaps the greatest shot in NBA history in Game 6.

8. Oscar Robertson, 1974 NBA Finals Game 7 (2 for 13 from the field, 6 points, 11 assists): The storybook ending to one of the greatest careers ever did not come to fruition. Game 6 was one of the best games in NBA history, with the Bucks staving off elimination with a double-overtime victory in Boston. However, the Bucks could not muster the same spirit back home in Game 7, and the Celtics won by 15. Did playing 58 minutes in the previous game affect the aging Robertson? He was well past his prime at this point, only averaging 12.7 points per game during the regular season, and 14.0 PPG in the postseason. He could not get on track during this game, and the greatest era in Bucks history ended with a whimper. This was Robertson’s last game in the NBA, and after a disappointing 38-44 record the next year, Milwaukee shipped off Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers and have not been back to the Finals since.

7. Stephen Curry, 2016 NBA Finals Game 7 (6 for 19 from the field, 4 of 14 from 3): Chalk this one up to the burden of high expectations. Curry’s 17-point performance wasn’t the seventh worst in history, but it certainly was one of the most disappointing. The unanimous MVP had one of the greatest seasons ever, and his team’s 73 regular season wins may never be surpassed. It’s still hard to pinpoint what happened in the last three games of this series. Certainly, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving deserve credit, but Golden State’s performance, and especially Curry’s, will live in infamy.

6. The Jordannaires, 1990 Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 (Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, B.J. Armstrong, Craig Hodges, and Bill Cartwright – combined 11 for 57 from the field, 28 points): A back-and-forth series ended with a blowout as the Bulls failed to step up to the challenge. Scottie Pippen had a migraine, which helps explain his 1 for 10 performance, but what about the others? Horace Grant was 3 for 17, though he did contribute 14 rebounds. Craig Hodges was 3 for 13, and 2 for 12 from three, which was a shockingly high number at the time. Armstrong was 1 for 8, and Cartwright was 3 for 9. The team scored 74 points total, with Michael Jordan contributing 31 of those. It was fair to wonder whether Jordan’s supporting cast would ever step up in crunch time after this game, but luckily for Chicago fans, they answered all questions the following year in a dominant 15-2 postseason run.

Worst Game 7 Performances in NBA History - Chicago Bulls, 1990 Eastern Conference Finals

5. Trevor Ariza, 2018 Western Conference Finals, Game 7 (0 for 12 from the field, 0 for 9 from three, 0 points): Ariza, a tested veteran and NBA champion, simply could not hit a shot during this deciding game. The Rockets shooting performance is infamous, as the team missed 27 three pointers in a row at one point, and shot 7 for 44 from three for the game. Yes, they were missing their point guard (Chris Paul), and no, Ariza wasn’t alone in his futility. However, 0 points and -15 in 41:50 of playing time represents a historic meltdown on the league’s second biggest stage.

4. Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, 1957 NBA Finals Game 7 (combined 5 for 40 from the field, 21 total points): This is a candidate for the single greatest game in NBA history. A double-overtime classic in Game 7 of the Finals. Bill Russell, in his first year in the league, facing third-year stud Bob Pettit. The NBA regular season and all-star game MVP Bob Cousy looking for his first ring. Cousy capped his historic season with a shockingly poor game 7, finishing 2 for 20 from the field in 58 minutes. His backcourt mate, Hall-of-Famer Bill Sharman, was 3 for 20 in 48 minutes. Boston’s two leading scorers in the regular season came up empty, but their rookie frontcourt mates carried the load, as Tom Heinsohn and Bill Russell led them to victory. The Hawks would get their revenge the following year, but Boston would defeat St. Louis two more times in the finals on their way to eight championships in a row between 1959 and 1966, a record that’s likely never going to be broken.

3. Danny Green, 2013 NBA Finals Game 7 (1 for 12 from the field, 1 for 6 from 3, 5 points): Through five games in this series, Danny Green looked like he was heading toward the most unlikely Finals MVP campaign in league history. During that stretch, he averaged 18 PPG on 56.6% shooting from the field and an unimaginable 65.8% from 3, with five made three pointers per game. Unfortunately, he lost his hot hand at the worst possible time. In games 6 and 7, he scored 4 PPG on 10.5% shooting and 18.2% from downtown. Game 7 was particularly tough, as Green could only make 1 of his 12 field goal attempts as the series slipped from San Antonio’s hands. This series was Green’s breakout performance on a national stage, but just as his hot shooting brought the Spurs to the brink of an unlikely championship, his cold spell was a big reason they were unable to bring the championship home.

2. John Starks, 1994 NBA Finals Game 7 (2 for 18 from the field, 0 for 11 from 3, 8 points): Starks was coming off of a brilliant Game 6 (27 points, 50% from the field, 5 for 9 from 3), but had a last second shot blocked by Hakeem Olajuwon to force a game 7. Unfortunately for Knicks fans, their notoriously hot and cold shooting guard came up empty in their biggest game of that era. The Knicks as a team averaged 11.1 three-point field goal attempts per game in 1994, so it was appalling to see Starks match that output on his own in this game and fail to make a single one. Hubert Davis only played four minutes while Rolando Blackman was a DNP-CD. Knicks fans will always wonder if Pat Riley should have played either of them more instead of watching Starks melt down in 42 minutes of play.

1. Dennis Johnson, 1978 NBA Finals Game 7 (0 for 14 from the field, 4 points): The expected rematch of the 1977 Finals between the Blazers and Sixers turned into a surprising encounter between the 44-win Bullets and 47-win SuperSonics due to Bill Walton’s injuries and Washington’s upset of Philadelphia. Even though Seattle had game 7 at home, Washington eked out a victory on the road. Johnson entered the game averaging 18.7 PPG on 44.8% from the field in the series, but he came up shockingly empty in Game 7. The fact that Seattle still had a chance to win at the end makes this performance all the more painful. Luckily for Johnson, he’d have five more Finals appearances in his career, including the following year, when he captured Finals MVP in the rematch between these teams.

Build Your All-Time NBA Team

Recently, there have been a flurry of social media posts about building a team for $15. The best one I’ve seen so far was by Lucas Hunter, who clearly put a lot of time and effort into his game. However, I’ve always wanted to see a good version with a mix of players from NBA history, so what better way to start blogging again than to replicate something that everyone else on the internet is doing? Build your all-time NBA team with the players listed below!

A few thoughts:

Jordan and James play premium positions in the modern game, and their all-around brilliance justifies their premium cost.
Predicted number of people who will choose Bob Pettit for $5 – zero. However, I think he had the 2nd best career of any power forward, and even if the game has clearly changed since he played, I’m pricing him in the highest power forward tier.
This is not a scientific exercise, just a purely fun activity with one person’s approximation of player value represented. A rough estimate of the tiers: The one dollar tier consists of borderline all-stars who were impactful throughout their careers, the two dollar tier consists of perennial all stars who I feel are on the low end of the Hall-of-Fame spectrum (potentially deserving, but requiring a lot of deliberation), the three dollar tier are mid-tier Hall of Famers, the four dollar tier are high end Hall-of-Famers who are approximately top 5 ever at their position, and $5 represents the best of the best at their positions.

Clearly, every great player is not represented – there are hundreds who could be included, but I settled on this mix when assessing the relative values of the players. Have fun – place your teams in the comments section, and we can vote on the best ones.

All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Detroit Pistons

Our next match features two of the greatest rivals in NBA history. They met in four straight playoffs from 1988 to 1991, with three of those matches occurring in the Eastern Conference Finals. They represented the East in six straight NBA finals from 1988 to 1993, winning five championships between them. They also feature two of the biggest names from a golden age of NBA basketball – Michael Jordan, the most marketable athlete in NBA history, and Isiah Thomas, the baby-faced assassin who was Jordan’s chief adversary in his early career. The battle between the All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Detroit Pistons is steeped in tradition, and features a number of players who harbor ill will from this contemptuous rivalry.

All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Detroit Pistons

Key Matchups

Isiah Thomas vs. Chicago’s backcourt: Coach Phil Jackson values length in his starting backcourt, and earlier in the tournament, he eschewed starting a traditional point guard in favor of having Scottie Pippen serve as his primary ballhandler. While Pippen and Jordan make up the best defensive backcourt combination in the tournament, they are vulnerable to lightning-quick smaller guards who can penetrate. How will Jackson guard Isiah Thomas? He can stick with his starting lineup, and have Jordan chase around Thomas, or he can play the matchups and start Norm Van Lier, an eight-time all-NBA defensive selection who had the same listed height as Thomas (6’1”). If he starts Van Lier, Pippen would move to his natural small forward slot, and Chet Walker would slide into the sixth man role. This would create a bigger rebounding burden on the Bulls frontcourt, however, where they are already over matched, as described below.

Dominant defenses: These are two of the best defensive teams in the tournament. Combined, their players made 56 all-NBA defensive teams, and earned eight Defensive Player of the Year awards. Despite the plethora of scoring threats on each side, this series could feature a surprisingly high number of low-scoring games.

Advanced statistics vs. The Eye Test: Although Detroit features a slew of Hall-of-Famers, the advanced statistics of their superstars are not overwhelming, particularly Thomas, as described here. Despite this, their team members should complement each other well, with a nice mix of penetrators (Thomas and Dave Bing), shooters (George Yardley, Chauncey Billups, Joe Dumars, and even Bill Laimbeer), all-around dynamos (Grant Hill), low post scorers/rebounders (Bob Lanier, Bailey Howell, and Larry Foust), and dominant rebounders/defenders (Dennis Rodman and Ben Wallace). Chicago, meanwhile, features Michael Jordan, who is not only regarded by experts as one of the greatest players of all time, but who is the GOAT of advanced statistics, standing as the all-time leader in PER and WS/48. He’s surrounded by a mix of Hall-of-Fame and all-star level competitors, who don’t appear to fit as well with one another as the Detroit club. The Bulls lack outside shooting, which will make it easier for Detroit to employ a modified version of The Jordan Rules. Artis Gilmore, their best center, will also have a difficult time, since he will have to find a way to avoid clogging the lane for Chicago’s penetrators while working as their best low-post scoring option.

Biggest Mismatches

Chicago’s perimeter length: The long arms of Jordan and Pippen will loom large in this series, particularly when they share backcourt duties. Jerry Sloan and Luol Deng provide additional perimeter options who can use their length for defensive and rebounding advantages. Detroit’s perimeter options are not as long or athletic as Chicago’s (outside of Grant Hill, who will match up with Pippen frequently), which will help the Bulls make up for their lack of dominant frontcourt rebounding. Speaking of which…

Detroit’s rebounding advantage: Detroit should control the glass in this series. They feature four players who led the league in total rebounds for at least one year as a Piston (Foust, Laimbeer, Rodman, and Wallace), and two others who averaged in double figures in their time in Detroit (Howell and Lanier). While Chicago’s wings will try to help mitigate this advantage, Rodman, in particular, could go off in this series. The Bulls may again have to adjust their starting lineup for matchup purposes, with Horace Grant taking the place of Bob Love. However, benching Love and Chet Walker in favor of Grant and Norm Van Lier will put a much greater scoring burden on Jordan, and Chicago’s offense may stall without multiple shot creators against Detroit’s dominant defense.

X-Factor

Chicago’s spacing: The Bulls face several lineup dilemmas, as outlined above. If Phil Jackson starts Van Lier, Jordan, Pippen, Grant, and Gilmore, Detroit will pack the paint and force Chicago’s mediocre shooters to beat them from long-range. Chicago doesn’t have much shooting coming off the bench, either. Deng and Toni Kukoc were pedestrian three point shooters during their times in Chicago (shooting 33.1 percent and 32.7 percent, respectively), while Derrick Rose was below average, particularly for a guard. Phil Jackson’s triangle offense will help to create space for the Bulls scorers, but Detroit features a number of smart defenders who will try to cut off Chicago’s strengths.

"Go to hell." "You too!" Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com — “Go to hell.”
“You too!”
Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

Results

Recently, the good folks at the Over & Back Podcast asked what the third greatest rivalry in NBA history was, conceding that the first two were Wilt vs. Russell and Magic vs. Bird. A good argument could be made for Isiah vs. Jordan, especially considering how impactful their teams were to the championship chase in the late 80s and early 90s. Neither of these stone-cold competitors would want to lose this historic matchup, which should be closely contested. Despite Jordan’s brilliance, the flaws of the Bulls roster are too much for him to overcome, and he suffers another heartbreaking defeat to his nemesis.

Detroit wins, four games to three.

Next Round

Detroit faces the All-Time Lakers.

Unanimous MVP Seasons in NBA History

This week, Stephen Curry became the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. There are many reasons for this distinction, including Golden State’s record-breaking win total, transparency in the voting process, and, above all else, Curry’s dominance on the court. Although Curry was the first unanimous MVP, he wasn’t the first player who deserved to be honored as such. Considering that voters have traditionally valued a mixture of individual and team dominance, how many other players in history deserved this honor? I identified eight players who should have earned this distinction over 11 dominant seasons.

Stephen Curry, 2015-16

Team Record: 73-9 (NBA record for wins)
Key Stats: 30.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 50.4 FG%, 45.4 3FG%, 90.8 FT%, 31.5 PER, .318 WS/48
League Leader in: PPG, SPG, FT%, FG, 3FGM (NBA record), PER, WS, WS/48, TS%
Commentary: One of the most awe-inspiring seasons in NBA history.

LeBron James, 2012-13

Team Record: 66-16
Key Stats: 26.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 56.5 FG%, 40.6 3FG%, 75.3 FT%, 31.6 PER, .322 WS/48
League Leader in: FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: We don’t have to go too far back to identify another player who deserved this distinction. LeBron was on top of his game that season, and he led Miami to a 27-game winning streak and the best record in basketball through his dominant play. He fell one vote shy of unanimity, as one voter somehow cast a first-place vote for Carmelo Anthony. However, his performance was deserving of a unanimous MVP selection.

LeBron James, 2009-10

Team Record: 61-21
Key Stats: 29.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 8.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 50.3 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 76.7 FT%, 31.1 PER, .299 WS/48
League Leader in: PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Unfortunately, this season is not remembered fondly, due to the shocking upset that Cleveland suffered at the hands of the Celtics in the Conference Semifinals. Since MVP awards are only based on regular season performance, this still makes the list. Cleveland had the best record in the league, James was the best player in the league, and he even set an NBA record for assists per game by a forward while averaging close to 30 points per game. Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard split the seven votes that LeBron did not receive, but it’s hard to make a case for anybody but LeBron in his last season before taking his talents to South Beach.

Shaquille O’Neal, 1999-2000

Team Record: 67-15
Key Stats: 29.7 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 3.0 BPG, 57.4 FG%, 0 3FG%, 52.4 FT%, 30.6 PER, .283 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, FG%, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: A healthy, motivated Shaq was one of the scariest players in NBA history. He put it all together in 1999-00, leading the Lakers to the best record in basketball and embarrassing opponents on a nightly basis. One lonely voter inexplicably voted for Allen Iverson over O’Neal, but everyone else recognized that nobody could touch Shaq that year. This is an absolutely clear-cut case.

Michael Jordan, 1995-96

Team Record: 72-10
Key Stats: 30.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 49.5 FG%, 42.7 3FG%, 83.4 FT%, 29.4 PER, .317 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Though this wasn’t Michael’s best season, it marked his first full one since his baseball sabbatical, and he led the Bulls to a then-NBA record for wins. Proving that he was still the best player in the game, Jordan surpassed the 30 PPG barrier for the final time in his career, and added another all-NBA first-team defense honor to his mantle. Anfernee Hardaway, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Karl Malone split the votes that did not go to Jordan, but it’s hard to make a case for any of them to have won the award.

Michael Jordan - 2X deserving unanimous MVP — Michael Jordan had several deserving unanimous MVP seasons
Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

Michael Jordan, 1990-91

Team Record: 61-21
Key Stats: 31.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG, .539 FG%, 31.2 3FG%, 85.1 FT%, 31.6 PER, .321 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: The start of the Bulls dynasty. Jordan was in peak form, blending his individual talents into a team framework expertly. His advanced statistics from this year were some of the greatest ever, which wasn’t appreciated by voters at the time (19 votes were cast for other candidates).

Larry Bird, 1985-86

Team Record: 67-15
Key Stats: 25.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 49.6 FG%, 42.3 3FG%, 89.6 FT%, 25.6 PER, .244 WS/48
League Leader in: FT%, 3FGM, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: In 1985-86, Bird led the Celtics to a league-leading 67 wins, and an NBA record 40-1 home record. This was the last of the three straight MVPs he won in the mid-80s, and also the most convincing; Dominique Wilkins was the only other player to receive any first-place votes (five).

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1976-77

Team Record: 53-29
Key Stats: 26.2 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 3.2 BPG, 57.9 FG%, 70.1 FT%, 27.8 PER, .283 WS/48
League Leader in: FG, FG%, REB, BLK, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: In his second season in Los Angeles, Kareem led the Lakers to the best record in basketball. A look at the voting that year shows how different basketball analysis was before the advent of advanced statistics. Jo Jo White and Norm Van Lier both received first-place votes with PERs that were below league average. A whopping 14 different players received first-place votes, despite Jabbar’s dominance. Even though the Lakers would get swept by Portland in the Western Conference Finals, Kareem’s regular season was (by far) the most impactful in the league.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1970-71

Team Record: 66-16
Key Stats: 31.7 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 57.7 FG%, 69.0 FT%, 29.0 PER, .326 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Kareem kicked off one of the most dominant three-year stretches in NBA history with his first of six MVP awards. The Bucks had 14 more wins than their next closest competitor, and Jabbar had the second highest WS/48 in league history (his 71-72 campaign is the highest, while his 72-73 season is the fourth highest). Somehow, teammate Oscar Robertson received five first-place votes, and three others received a combined 15 more first-place votes.

Wilt Chamberlain, 1966-67

Team Record: 68-13
Key Stats: 24.1 PPG, 24.2 RPG, 7.8 APG, 68.3 FG%, 44.1 FT%, 26.5 PER, .285 WS/48
League Leader in: FG%, REB, RPG, PER, WS, WS/48, TS%
Commentary: Can you imagine if the internet existed in 1967? Players were still voting for the league’s MVP, and 15 somehow voted for Nate Thurmond over the best player on the best team in league history (at the time). Fans would have gone crazy, and basketball twitter would have been insufferable. Chamberlain did it all that year, and finally earned his first NBA championship in the process.

George Mikan, 1950-51 (no award given at this time)

Team Record: 44-24
Key Stats: 28.4 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 42.8 FG%, 80.3 FT%, 23.4 WS
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, FT, WS
Commentary: Back in the day before PER and WS/48 could be calculated, and before MVPs were awarded, George Mikan stood above his peers. In 50-51, he led the Lakers to the best record in basketball, though it wound up being the only season in a six-year stretch where they did not win the championship. Only three players that season averaged more than 20 PPG, and Mikan averaged almost seven PPG more than his closest competitor. He also led the league in both offensive and defensive win shares.

Others under Consideration

Several other noteworthy seasons can be argued for inclusion as well, though they were omitted from this author’s list.

LeBron James, 2011-12

LeBron’s first championship season came during the 2012 lockout. He was clearly the best player in the world, but his team had a pedestrian 46-20 record, which was fourth best in the league.

LeBron James, 2008-09

This was a tough omission; LeBron led the Cavaliers to a league-best 66-16 season, and had one of the great advanced statistical seasons in history. However, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade also had otherworldly seasons, and Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to 65 wins (and an eventual championship).

Kevin Garnett, 2003-04

KG led the Wolves to the best record in the Western Conference, and led the league in points, rebounds, RPG, field goals, PER, win shares, and WS/48. The Spurs were only one game off their pace, however, and Tim Duncan put up another stellar campaign, so it was conceivable for him to get a few first-place votes that year (in reality, Duncan didn’t receive any votes, while Jermaine O’Neal and Peja Stojakovic combined to earn three).

Michael Jordan, 1991-92

Jordan’s Bulls won 67 games that year, and he took the mantle as the undisputed biggest star in basketball with Magic Johnson’s premature retirement that preseason. While this was his lowest scoring output (30.1 PPG) of the stretch where he won seven scoring titles in a row, he was still the most efficient player in basketball, leading the league in PER, WS, and WS/48. However, advanced stat marvel David Robinson was very close to him in these categories, and Clyde Drexler had a fantastic season as well.

Magic Johnson, 1986-87

In Magic’s first MVP season, he led the Lakers to a league-best 65-17 record and averaged a career-high 23.9 PPG along with a league-leading 12.2 APG. This was a compelling case for a unanimous selection, but brilliant seasons from Larry Bird and young Michael Jordan prevented it from being included on the above list.

Larry Bird, 1984-85

Bird led the Celtics to the league’s best record in 1984-85, and had the best advanced statistics in the league. However, Magic Johnson’s Lakers were only one game off their pace, with Magic putting up 18.3 PPG/6.2 RPG/12.6 APG. Michael Jordan and Terry Cummings (!) also received two first-place votes each.

Moses Malone, 1982-83

In Moses’s first season in Philadelphia, he led the Sixers to the best record in basketball and a dominating playoff run that ended in a title. While he could have been unanimously selected, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were also carrying their teams to high win totals, and it’s not egregious that they received a few votes (Julius Erving’s three first-place votes are harder to defend).

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1971-72

How does one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history not get included? Kareem averaged 34.8 PPG, 16.6 RPG, and 4.6 APG, and led the Bucks to 63 wins. However, the Lakers were historically great that year, winning 33 games in a row on route to a then-record 69 victories. L.A.’s Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain split 80 first-place votes between them, while Kareem garnered 81 to take home the trophy.

Wilt Chamberlain, 1965-66

Wilt was the best statistical player in the league that year (averaging a comical 33.5 PPG, 24.6 RPG, and 5.2 APG), and led Philadelphia to the best record in the league. Dominant seasons from Jerry West and Oscar Robertson put his unanimous MVP claim into question.

Wilt Chamberlain, 1961-62

Considering Wilt didn’t even win the MVP award that year (finishing far behind Bill Russell), it’s hard to make a claim that he deserved unanimous selection. However, averaging 50.4 PPG and 25.7 RPG means you at least deserve honorable mention for this list.

Bob Pettit, 1958-59

Pettit was far and away the most efficient player in the league that year (his league-leading 28.2 PER was 4.6 points ahead of the next closest competitor). The Celtics, however, had the best record in the league, and it’s conceivable that Bill Russell received first-place MVP votes.

George Mikan, 1952-53 (no award given)
George Mikan, 1949-50 (no award given)

It’s unfortunate that the league did not award an MVP until the 1955-56 season. Mikan surely would have cleaned up during this time, and two of his most dominating seasons are highlighted here. However, in 1952-53, Bob Cousy would have likely garnered some votes, and in 1949-50 Alex Groza may have siphoned some away as well.

All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have had a pedestrian existence in the modern-day NBA. In 2015, they made their first conference finals appearance since 1970. Their rich history in St. Louis, where they made four finals appearances in five seasons (winning one), is often discounted. The Chicago Bulls, meanwhile, are one of the glamour teams of the modern NBA. In the 1990s, they won six titles in eight seasons, behind the most marketable athlete in basketball history. Their pedestrian history beyond that run is often overlooked, as they’ve never made the NBA Finals before or since. While some may assume the match between the All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Atlanta Hawks is one-sided, a deeper look into their respective histories shows that this series could be one of the most competitive of our tournament.

All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Atlanta Hawks

Key Matchups

Chicago’s perimeter defense vs. Atlanta’s firepower: Atlanta’s high-scoring perimeter options (namely, Lou Hudson, Dominique Wilkins, and Pete Maravich) will have to overcome the greatest collection of perimeter defensive talent in this tournament. Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, Norm Van Lier, Jerry Sloan, and Luol Deng were all plus defenders, combining for 30 appearances on all-NBA defensive teams. This group will also disrupt Atlanta’s ballhandlers (Lenny Wilkens and Mookie Blaylock), who will struggle to find open passing lanes, and who will also have to avoid turnovers when Chicago utilizes a full-court press.

Bob Pettit vs. Chicago’s forwards: Bob Pettit, who averaged over 26 PPG and 16 RPG throughout his career, will be a load for Chicago’s forwards to handle. Bob Love, Chicago’s nominal starting power forward, will initially match up with him, but will struggle to contend on the boards with the relentless legend. On the other side of the court, expect Love to use his quickness advantage to make Pettit work on defense. Chicago will also allot minutes to Horace Grant, who can better contend on the boards (especially on the offensive side, where he ranked in the top six of the league in offensive rebound percentage three years in a row), and Toni Kukoc, who has no chance of defending Pettit but will give him problems on defense with his all-court offensive game. Chicago’s best chance to contend with Pettit will be throwing these three distinct looks at him throughout the series, and making him work on the defensive end of the court.

Biggest Mismatches

The athleticism of Chicago’s starting backcourt vs. Atlanta’s guard rotation: In addition to their defensive brilliance, the Bulls feature perhaps the most athletic starting backcourt pairing in the tournament. Jordan and Pippen have a chance to overwhelm Atlanta’s smaller, less athletic defenders. Mookie Blaylock, Atlanta’s perimeter defensive ace, stood at only 6’0”, and will be more effective guarding Derrick Rose than either of these two wings. Atlanta’s ability to mitigate the damage that these two inflict may be the deciding factor in the series.

Atlanta’s three point shooting advantage: As great as Lou Hudson and Pete Maravich were, they would have been even more dominant with a three-point line, which was not in the league during their tenures with the Hawks. Expect them to take full advantage of this rule during this series. Chicago’s main weakness is their lack of three-point shooting. Because of their potential spacing issue, Coach Phil Jackson may give Toni Kukoc more minutes than anticipated, to open up space for Jordan, Pippen, Chet Walker, and Artis Gilmore inside. This may not work perfectly, however, since Kukoc was a mediocre three-point shooter in his time with the Bulls (.327 percent).

X-Factor

Can Atlanta overcome Chicago’s defensive onslaught? The Hawks have a well-balanced team, that may be deeper than Chicago’s. However, down the stretch of close games, can Atlanta find room to score? Expect Chicago to utilize a closing defensive lineup of Van Lier or Sloan, Jordan, Pippen, Horace Grant, and Joakim Noah. Atlanta will have to rely on the greatness of Pettit and their perimeter stars to overcome this unit.

Results

These two teams go back and forth in a seven game classic. Chicago’s defense is suffocating, but Atlanta proves resilient behind the great Pettit. In the closing game, Jordan and Pettit go mano a mano in a close encounter. The Bulls are able to shut down Atlanta’s other options, and pull away in the end.

All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Atlanta Hawks — Pippen and Jordan help the Bulls pull away in game seven. Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

Chicago wins, four games to three.

Next Round

Chicago faces the winner of the All-Time Pistons vs. All-Time Clippers.

All-Time Golden State Warriors vs. All-Time Toronto Raptors

Get ready for an epic showdown. The All-Time Golden State Warriors vs. All-Time Toronto Raptors promises to electrify…ok, I can’t do it. I’m not going to waste anyone’s time here.

Results

Warriors sweep 4-0.

Next Round

Golden State faces the winner of the All-Time Rockets vs. All-Time Suns.

Instead of the usual breakdown, I’m going to use this space to try to contextualize Wilt Chamberlain’s absurd scoring averages with the Warriors.

Here are the 15 highest scoring seasons in NBA history, by points per game. Not surprisingly, Wilt’s six years with the Warriors are all included here. Rick Barry’s second season with Golden State (then San Francisco), when he averaged an otherworldly 35.6 points per game, a record for an NBA forward, is also included; making Golden State by far the most represented team on the list.

Basketball-reference.com lists an estimate for each team’s number of possessions per 48 minutes, by year (called Pace Factor). However, this information is only available since 1973-74; other estimates were used for team pace prior to this date. These estimates help us understand how much the game has changed since Wilt’s heyday. In his record-breaking 1961-62 season, the estimate for the Warriors’ pace was 131.1, and the average team scored 118.8 points per game. Compare that to Kobe Bryant’s 2005-06 season, when he averaged 35.4 points per game with a team pace of 90.9, and a league scoring average of 97.0. Also of note is Bob McAdoo’s underrated 1974-75 season, when he averaged 34.5 points per game with a team pace of 107.3 and a league scoring average of 107.6.

In addition, basketball-reference.com has a year-by-year breakdown of the top 10 players in true shooting percentage. True shooting takes into account three-point field goals and free throws; however, it’s important to note that the NBA did not adopt the three-point line until the 1979-80 season. This benefited players who played close to the basket, like Chamberlain, and hurt long-range shooters, like Pete Maravich, who would have thrived with a three point line. Regardless, we see that in Wilt’s three highest scoring seasons, he ranked in the top 6 in the league in true shooting percentage. Barry ranked ninth in his breakout 1966-67 season. Remarkably, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were both able to surpass a .600 true shooting percentage in high-scoring seasons; Jabbar ranked 2nd in the league in 1971-72, while Michael ranked just outside of the top-10 in 1987-88, his first MVP season.

Finally, we can see how far ahead of the competition each player was in his prolific scoring season(s). Elgin Baylor is the only player on the list who did not lead the league in scoring; in both 1960-61 and 1962-63, he averaged 34 points per game plus, but did not win the scoring title because of Chamberlain. Speaking of Wilt, in his 1961-62 season, he was 18.8 points ahead of the league’s next leading scorer. It’s safe to say that this type of disparity will never be approached again.

This data shows that Wilt scored efficiently with the Warriors, and was a monster in relation to his competition. However, the league was much different back then, and he benefited from an absurdly fast-paced environment. Even though nobody will ever approach his raw averages again, we have seen players put up scoring numbers that, when considering context, were nearly as impressive.

All-Time Chicago Bulls Team

Due to Shaquille O’Neal’s recent Instagram post, I’m starting with a profile of the All-Time Chicago Bulls Team. With six NBA championships, the Bulls are seeded third in our tournament.

Michael Jordan is such a dominant player that it’s somewhat difficult to construct a team around him. I cheated a bit here, and listed Scottie Pippen as the primary ball-handler, since he was so versatile and often filled this role. The other guards that made the cut are a mix of dynamic scorers (Derrick Rose) and lockdown defenders (Norm Van Lier, Jerry Sloan). With a few more solid seasons, Rose certainly has a chance to start, though his fit with Jordan and Pippen (who would slide to his natural small forward position) would be awkward.

The starting forwards are used to playing with each other from the excellent Bulls teams in the 1970s. Both Chet the Jet Walker and Bob Love were excellent scorers, though Love wasn’t as efficient as his other teammates in the starting lineup. The forwards off the bench provide versatility (Luol Deng and Toni Kukoc) plus rebounding and defense (Horace Grant). One of the bigger conflicts I had was whether to include Reggie Theus on this team, instead of Kukoc. Despite being a two-time all-star on the Bulls, Theus’s advanced stats were far inferior to Kukoc’s, so I went with Toni.

There are two very different centers on this team: Artis Gilmore, a traditional big man with the size to rebound, protect the paint, and score down low, and Joakim Noah, a smaller player who relies more on quickness, energy, and will. Noah’s passing skills will be helpful for a team that will play long stretches without a traditional point guard.

This team should shine on the defensive end of the court. Pippen, Jordan, Van Lier, Sloan, Noah, Grant, Deng, and Love constitute one of the best collective defensive units in this tournament. Offensively, they have a nice mix of scorers, but spacing will be a big issue. The best players in franchise history simply were not great three-point shooters, and I could not justify selecting a three-point specialist (like John Paxson) ahead of a superior all-around player (like Norm Van Lier). This is one of the most interesting teams to project, with many versatile pieces, but clear flaws.

Coach – Phil Jackson

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .522

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