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He had two games from the Nets series but left off the game 6 performance. How can you possibly do that?
NBA Finals: Best single-game performances: No. 6
By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
6. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2003 Finals, Game 1
Tim Duncan dominated the paint in the 2003 Finals which was no small feat against the Nets' defense.
Game Score: 43.3
Result: Spurs 101, Nets 89
Series: Spurs win in 6
This is perfect: The top-rated Duncan game is one that absolutely nobody remembers. However, Duncan's Game 1 annihilation of the Nets was not only his personal-best Finals performance, but the ridiculous 43.3 is the top Game Score for any Finals game of the post-merger era -- and he did it against an elite defensive team.
It would be hard to find a game that greater exemplifies Duncan's understated excellence. The 2003 Finals were low on sex appeal because San Antonio and New Jersey both were small-market teams, but it was a gritty series that required Duncan's best.
In the opener, he more than delivered.
Going up against two of the better defensive centers of the decade in Jason Collins and Dikembe Mutombo, Duncan ripped off 32 points, 20 rebounds, seven blocks, six assists and three steals. He even shot 10-for-14 from the free throw line and he had only one turnover.
Duncan broke open a tie game at the half by scoring 24 of his 32 points after the break, and was only two steals away from the only "five-by-five" in Finals history.
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The rest of the top-ten.
1. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1997 Finals, Game 5
2. Magic Johnson, Lakers: 1980 Finals, Game 6
3. James Worthy, Lakers: 1988 Finals, Game 7
4. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1998 Finals, Game 6
5. Karl Malone, Jazz: 1998 Finals, Game 5
7. Isiah Thomas, Pistons: 1988 Finals, Game 6
8. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1991 Finals, Game 2
9. Dwyane Wade, Heat: 2006 Finals, Game 3
10. Michael Jordan, Bulls: 1992 Finals, Game 1
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Hollinger's explanation of his method for the list.
Best Finals performances: The method
Last edited by duncan228; 06-11-2010 at 02:58 PM.
He had two games from the Nets series but left off the game 6 performance. How can you possibly do that?
His Game6 wasn't too shabby, either.
Hollinger's list is 50, the rest are 'Insider'. If someone could check maybe Duncan's game 6 is there.
Thanks.
I figured one of Shaq's games would be in the top 10.
michael jordans performance at #1?
21. Manu Ginobili, Spurs: 2005 Finals, Game 2
32. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 1999 Finals, Game 1Ginobili's Game Score isn't overwhelming, but on a per-minute, opponent-adjusted basis this one is an all-timer -- only two other efforts in the post-merger era rate higher than his 45.3 per 40 minutes. (Those two, if you're curious, are Michael Jordan's Game 1 against Portland in 1992, and MJ's Game 2 against the Lakers in 1991.)
35. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2003 Finals, Game 5
45. Tim Duncan, Spurs: 2007 Finals, Game 1Yes, Game 5 … not Game 6. Two of Duncan's games from New Jersey crack the list, but surprisingly, his Game 6 didn't. While he finished two blocks shy of a quadruple that night, his performance in Game 5 was both more effective (in terms of Game Score) and more important.
Last edited by DynastyBuilder; 06-11-2010 at 02:11 PM.
I can understand it, mostly because stat guys like Hollinger are obsessed with efficiency, and Duncan's Game 6 wasn't a masterpiece of efficiency in the way that Game 1 was.
Game 6 is remembered for the near-quad, but Duncan "only" had 21 points in Game 6 and shot under 50% in doing that. He also turned the ball over 4 times and only got to the line 5 times.
By comparison, in Game 1, Timmy shot better than 60% from the field, got to the line 14 times, and scored 32 points while equaling his rebounding total from Game 6. But unlike Game 6, Timmy also turned it over only 1 time and had 3 steals to go along with a productive number of assists (6) and a substantial number of blocks (7).
Taken together, the near quad is probably more memorable but probably not a more productive Game. And that's saying a lot.
2003 was TD best year. He had a bunch of FANTASTIC games
For a second I thought it said he was 10-14 3 pointers made/attempted.
Is there any easy way to make the columns line up correctly when you try to post box scores? I've tried spacing them out right manually in the past, but it never seems to work.
I just edited the post, it's fine now.
There is a way, I think it's the 'code' function, but I can't get it to work either.
I'll take Magic's game 6 over Jordan's flu game any day. Tim's game 1 in 03 was crazy; it looked like he was playing against his little brother or something, even though he was going against athletic pre-surgery KMart and Mutombo.
Imagine that, the GOAT appears 4 times. I wonder how many times hes in the Top 20 or Top 50?
ing Jordan-sucking media. Kobe's resume is right there with his.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...406100DET.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...106060LAL.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...806170BOS.html
Always great to see Duncan get respect from the media, thanks to the OP for sharing!
i was so pissed when i saw that number two was magic and not TDs game 6. i guess if youre a ing idiot and go by a bull stat like gamescore that depends on shooting percentage, a 9/20 game with 20 boards 10 assists and 8 blocks isnt as good as an 11/17 game with lesser stats in a game that meant less, even tho in game 6 tim defended k mart and he went 3/23 and im not kidding
I'm not sure what K-Mart shot offhand, but I vividly remember him bricking every shot he put up in the fourth quarter. He shot them out of the game by himself.
So, this Duncan guy is good, eh?!
im surprise no ai or shaq on the top10
Malone shouldn't have been on the list imo. Should have had a Larry Bird game in his place.
What were Manu's numbers on that game?
Also, while the points are valid about efficiency in Tim's 2003 Game 6, still a near quadruple double in the clincher? (I.E. talking home the le.) Hard to believe it can't make the top 50.
Seems to be a shortage of old timers on the list. No Russell, West, Chamberlain, Mikan, etc in the top ten.
Still an interesting read from Hollinger...
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...506120SAS.htmlWhat were Manu's numbers on that game?
Also, while the points are valid about efficiency in Tim's 2003 Game 6, still a near quadruple double in the clincher? (I.E. talking home the le.) Hard to believe it can't make the top 50.
Seems to be a shortage of old timers on the list. No Russell, West, Chamberlain, Mikan, etc in the top ten.
Still an interesting read from Hollinger...
List is since the merger.
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