Top 5 NBA Finals MVP performances in the 21st century

#3 Tim Duncan - 2003 NBA Finals MVP

Duncan during the 2003 NBA Finals

Tim Duncan won three NBA Finals MVP awards during his illustrious, Hall-of-Fame career. But his performance in the 2003 NBA Finals against Jason Kidd's New Jersey Nets was arguably his greatest.

Already a champion and Finals MVP in 1999, Duncan's Spurs had three seasons without reaching the NBA Finals, with the Shaq-Kobe LA Lakers dominating the league. However, San Antonio had a brilliant 2002-03 NBA season, and Duncan earned his second consecutive regular-season MVP.

On their way to the NBA Finals, the 60-22 Spurs took down the Phoenix Suns, LA Lakers and Dallas Mavericks to reach the NBA Finals. On the NBA's biggest stage, the New Jersey Nets played against San Antonio in their second consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals.

However, the Spurs defeated the Nets in six games to win the franchise's second NBA title. Duncan won the second of his three NBA Finals MVP awards after averaging 24 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and five blocks per game.

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#2 Shaquille O'Neal - 2002 NBA Finals MVP

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant after winning the 2002 NBA Finals

Also a three-time Finals MVP winner, Shaquille O'Neal was majestic with the LA Lakers in the championship round. O'Neal and Kobe Bryant led the LA team to three consecutive championships between 2000 and 2002, and the big man won the Finals MVP award each year.

In 2002, O'Neal had an unbelievable run, as he did in the previous two championship rounds for the LA Lakers. He averaged 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in a four-game sweep over the New Jersey Nets. The rout completed the LA Lakers' three-peat and got him his third Finals MVP award.

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#1 LeBron James - 2016 NBA Finals MVP

LeBron James after winning the 2016 NBA Finals

In the 21st century, there have been several players who have graced the NBA with their greatness, but none have done it like LeBron James.

In the NBA Finals, a round he's reached 10 times in his career, James has largely been fantastic. He has four championships and four Finals MVP awards to his name, the second-most in league history.

However, if we had to pick only one of LeBron James' title-winning performances in the NBA Finals, the 2016 Finals MVP trophy will definitely stand out.

James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2016 NBA championship after coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. They remain the only team to ever accomplish this feat. He also led both teams in every statistic and remains the only player ever to do so in NBA history.

James' performance in the final three games of the series was unique. He scored 41 points in the fifth and sixth games of the series and recorded a 27-point triple-double. James also rounded off a fantastic performance with 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

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