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#3 Michael Jordan - 1993 NBA Finals, Game 4
Yes, one of Michael Jordan's performances in the NBA Finals seems to be forgotten. In reality, Michael Jordan's overall performance in the 1993 NBA Finals is the best he ever put up on the NBA's biggest stage.
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The final line might be purely subjective, but the numbers he put up in that series have to be seen to be believed.
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Jordan had the highest average of points per game in NBA Finals history with 41 per game, and also added 8.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. It was arguably the best performance ever in a single NBA Finals series.
However, in this piece, we're taking into consideration Jordan's performance in Game 4 of the 1993 NBA Finals. After the Chicago Bulls took home-court advantage from the Phoenix Suns by winning the first two games on the road, Charles Barkley and company stormed back to win Game 3 in Chicago in triple overtime.
In Game 4, Jordan led the Bulls to a pivotal win by scoring 55 of the team's 111 points. Jordan made 21 of his 37 attempts from the field, while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists.
It was an iconic game that is surely overshadowed by other Jordan moments in the NBA Finals. Whether it is the shot against the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, the 'Flu Game' in 1997 or a layup from the 1991 NBA Finals' Game 2, Game 4 from 1993 is not mentioned enough.
#2 Walt Frazier - 1970 NBA Finals, Game 7
This one is a classic. Walt Frazier's performance in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals will always be known as the 'Willis Reed game'. Reed, the Knicks' leader, injured his thigh in Game 5 of the series and missed the sixth match.
However, he returned to play in Game 7 and made the Knicks' first two baskets of the game, before spending the night guarding Wilt Chamberlain.
While Reed had an emotional impact on the game, Walt 'Clyde' Frazier put up 36 points, 19 assists and seven rebounds in the night to guide the New York Knicks to the first championship in franchise history.
Reed was eventually named Finals MVP, but Frazier's outing deserves big praise.
#1 Jamaal Wilkes - 1980 NBA Finals, Game 6
Diehard NBA fans might mention Walt Frazier's performance in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals as the most iconic game that is often forgotten. That fact only gives us more reasons to put Jamaal Wilkes' outing in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals at the top of this list.
The 1980 LA Lakers arrived for Game 6 of the NBA Finals leading the series 3-2, but lost Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for that match. Kareem was averaging 33 points and 13 rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers at that point in the series, but he fell out with an ankle injury.
In Game 6, a 20-year-old Magic Johnson put up 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists to lead the LA Lakers to the NBA championship in his rookie season. Johnson's outing is deservedly regarded as one of the greatest in league history, but even Johnson has had to remember everyone how important Jamaal Wilkes was in that game.
While Magic led the team, Wilkes, who was already a champion in 1975 with the Golden State Warriors, scored 37 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Wilkes won four NBA championships in his career, including three with the LA Lakers, though he did not play in the 1985 NBA Finals due to injury.
When remembering the 1980s "Showtime" LA Lakers, the 'Big Three' that is mostly mentioned are Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy, but Wilkes was a big factor in the early years of that team.
Wilkes is a Hall-of-Famer and averaged 17.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in his career. He went to the All-Star Game three times, was selected twice to the All-Defensive team and won the Rookie of the Year award with the Warriors in the 1974-75 season.
In the two NBA Finals series the LA Lakers won with Wilkes on the court, he averaged 20.5 points and seven rebounds per game.
Also read: 5 players with most triple-doubles in NBA Finals history
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