NBA: Top 5 playoff runs by individual player.

[irishock]

IMO:


2006 Dirk is top 25 and > 2011 Dirk IMO..

How? He posted nearly identical stats in both years, except in '11 he triumphed in the toughest road to a championship perhaps ever, while in 2006 his biggest accomplishment was outdueling Tim Duncan in game 7.

[The Reckoning]

dirk '11 and wade '06 should top imo

[Jacob1983]

Wade shouldn't be in the top 20. Take him out and put Dirk in there. Shooting a lot of free throws in the Finals isn't legendary or impressive.

[Sean Cagney]

Yeah, I might have to agree. Especially since Duncan seemed to return to his '03 form (at least on the offensive end), despite the plantar fasciitis.

Dirk vs. Duncan in that series:

Duncan: 32.2ppg, 11.7rpg, 3.7apg, 2.5blk, 1.0spg, .556FG

Dirk: 27.1ppg, 13.3rpg, 2.7apg, 0.4blk, 1.3spg, .527FG

Best player duel in the post-Jordan era (And I believe that series ranked number 2 or 3 on ESPN's Best playoff series of all-time list). I can't think of any other playoff series (post Jordan) off the top of my head in which the two superstar players on opposing teams both played essentially perfect basketball over 6 or 7 games.

LIGHTS OUT! LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS THERE! Thats Tims best series ever on the offensive end IMO, he even said that was the best series he played after it. What a battle that was there, classic series down to OT in game 7. I don't know if I could take another one.

dirk '11 and wade '06 should top imo

Should top JORDAN and everyone on there? You said top? Or Dirk 011 should top Wade? You think those two are the best performances ever for a run? I don't think they are.

How? He posted nearly identical stats in both years, except in '11 he triumphed in the toughest road to a championship perhaps ever, while in 2006 his biggest accomplishment was outdueling Tim Duncan in game 7.

His numbers were not even better than Tims in game 7 though! I agree though they did not win it all so that is not on the list.

[D-Wade]

Dirk '11 and Flash '06 should be higher.

Glad they didn't forget about Wade in 2011 (should've been his 2nd fMVP that this time couldn't be discredited by FTs) and admitted that LBJ was a no-show. They made sure to put it near the bottom of the list but whatever.

[AchillesHeel]

Achilles nowhere to be found

[Sportstudi]

50. Nowitzki - 2011
49. Wade - 2011
44. LeBron - 2011

That's some real horse

[hitmanyr2k]

So Olajuwon's dominating run in 1995 is at #30?!? Yeah this list is balls or the guy is just trolling.

[Brazil]

Smoking a banana leaf.

Dirk's 2011 run is slightly overrated. Top 20-25 for sure, but I couldn't justify putting it in the top 10.

Dirk's best playoff run was actually '06. He drilled the Spurs (who were a better team than anything he faced in 2011), capping off that series with 37 points in Game 7, which was on the Spurs home floor. He dropped 50 on the Suns in the WCF. And while he played below par in the Finals, he wasn't the reason they lost the series. He put up 29 and 15 in Game 6, while Terry and Josh Howard combined for 30 points on 12-41 shooting, a game that the Mavs lost by 3.

In terms of stats, dirk 06 and dirk 11 are pretty even except for rebounds. I hear you on the 2006 Spurs but overall I believe compe ion was tougher in 2011 POs, Miami was already a great team, they kicked a lot of asses (see Lakers). They produced a 16-5 POs against Blazers, Lakers, OKC and Heat ! Also I don't remember a lot of players dominating the clutch periods of the game like dirk in 2011, he was just a machine. It was a truly dominant run all over the POs. At the end I consider his run in 2011 better than 2006 and he should be higher than top 20-25.

[Jodelo]

Dirk had a very tough road and played nearly perfect basketball, so he is at #50.

Sure

Top 10 for sure, even more!

[Rogue]

the best job Wade did in 06 was being a good recipient of those bull calls and easy freethrows tbh

[StrengthAndHonor]

Its a ty list. They writer used WARP metrics. For all the flak Hollinger gets, at least his PER is much more consistent.

[HarlemHeat37]

it makes sense now that it's such a ty list, since it uses WARP, tbh..

[StrengthAndHonor]

I mean seriously, how can you put Lebron's 2009 at # 22. LeBron while give Kobe's 2009 #17? I understand, Kobe won the le but that 2009 run by Lebron was beastly tbqh. Also, I still believe Wade's 2006 run should be higher. Yeah he had a free throw fest against the Mavs but IMHO, his series against Detroit (best defense in the league at that time, IINM) was equally impressive 26.6 PPG, 62% FG.

In the Finals, Wade's 42pt game 3, 36pt game 4, 43pt game 5, and 36pt game 6 turned the series around, he basically singlehandedly took the series over after the Heat went down 2-0 against the Mavs. In games 3-6 alone, Wade averaged 39.25ppg on 51%fg. Jordanesque.

[jimbo]

Dirk '11 and Flash '06 should be higher.

Glad they didn't forget about Wade in 2011 (should've been his 2nd fMVP that this time couldn't be discredited by FTs) and admitted that LBJ was a no-show. They made sure to put it near the bottom of the list but whatever.

I wasn't impressed with Wade that postseason. Dude disappeared on the offensive end vs Chicago. Played average vs Celtics and Mavs. Lebron's run was still better that year overall, he made so many daggers before choking in the finals.

2009 Lebron's stats vs the Magic were just ridiculous, has there ever been anything better than that? I can't think of anything. That has to be a top 10 individual series, even though he didn't make the finals imo.

If you are putting more emphasis on the finals, 2006 Wade needs to be higher.

[Thebesteva]

Not sure if anyone posted the list or not but here ya go:

50. Nowitzki - 2011
49. Wade - 2011
48. Ginobili - 2005
47. Magic - 1988
46. Jordan - 1989
45. Pippen - 1992
44. LeBron - 2011
43. Hayes - 1978
42. Shaq - 2004
41. Gasol - 2010
40. Nowitzki - 2006
39. LeBron - 2007
38. Robinson - 1999
37. Howard - 2009
36. Jordan - 1990
35. Durant - 2012
34. Kobe - 2010
33. Barkley - 1993
32. Pippen - 1991
31. Kobe - 2001
30. Olajuwon - 1995
29. Duncan - 2005
28. Pippen - 1996
27. Olajuwon - 1986
26. Thomas - 1990
25. Jordan - 1998
24. Magic - 1982
23. Magic - 1980
22. LeBron - 2009
21. Duncan - 2007
20. Jordan - 1996
19. Bird - 1981
18. Jordan - 1997
17. Kobe - 2009
16. Magic - 1987
15. Kareem - 1980
14. Jordan - 1992
13. Wade - 2006
12. Shaq - 2002
11. Duncan - 1999
10. Bird - 1986
9. Bird - 1984
8. Malone - 1983
7. Olajuwon - 1994
6. Shaq - 2001
5. Jordan - 1993
4. Shaq - 2000
3. Duncan - 2003
2. LeBron - 2012
1. Jordan - 1991

[Sportstudi]

Not sure if anyone posted the list or not but here ya go:

50. Nowitzki - 2011
49. Wade - 2011
48. Ginobili - 2005
47. Magic - 1988
46. Jordan - 1989
45. Pippen - 1992
44. LeBron - 2011
43. Hayes - 1978
42. Shaq - 2004
41. Gasol - 2010
40. Nowitzki - 2006
39. LeBron - 2007
38. Robinson - 1999
37. Howard - 2009
36. Jordan - 1990
35. Durant - 2012
34. Kobe - 2010
33. Barkley - 1993
32. Pippen - 1991
31. Kobe - 2001
30. Olajuwon - 1995
29. Duncan - 2005
28. Pippen - 1996
27. Olajuwon - 1986
26. Thomas - 1990
25. Jordan - 1998
24. Magic - 1982
23. Magic - 1980
22. LeBron - 2009
21. Duncan - 2007
20. Jordan - 1996
19. Bird - 1981
18. Jordan - 1997
17. Kobe - 2009
16. Magic - 1987
15. Kareem - 1980
14. Jordan - 1992
13. Wade - 2006
12. Shaq - 2002
11. Duncan - 1999
10. Bird - 1986
9. Bird - 1984
8. Malone - 1983
7. Olajuwon - 1994
6. Shaq - 2001
5. Jordan - 1993
4. Shaq - 2000
3. Duncan - 2003
2. LeBron - 2012
1. Jordan - 1991

That's an absolute joke BSPN again sucking LeBron's and Wade's .

[StrengthAndHonor]

Not sure if anyone posted the list or not but here ya go:

50. Nowitzki - 2011
49. Wade - 2011
48. Ginobili - 2005
47. Magic - 1988
46. Jordan - 1989
45. Pippen - 1992
44. LeBron - 2011
43. Hayes - 1978
42. Shaq - 2004
41. Gasol - 2010
40. Nowitzki - 2006
39. LeBron - 2007
38. Robinson - 1999
37. Howard - 2009
36. Jordan - 1990
35. Durant - 2012
34. Kobe - 2010
33. Barkley - 1993
32. Pippen - 1991
31. Kobe - 2001
30. Olajuwon - 1995
29. Duncan - 2005
28. Pippen - 1996
27. Olajuwon - 1986
26. Thomas - 1990
25. Jordan - 1998
24. Magic - 1982
23. Magic - 1980
22. LeBron - 2009
21. Duncan - 2007
20. Jordan - 1996
19. Bird - 1981
18. Jordan - 1997
17. Kobe - 2009
16. Magic - 1987
15. Kareem - 1980
14. Jordan - 1992
13. Wade - 2006
12. Shaq - 2002
11. Duncan - 1999
10. Bird - 1986
9. Bird - 1984
8. Malone - 1983
7. Olajuwon - 1994
6. Shaq - 2001
5. Jordan - 1993
4. Shaq - 2000
3. Duncan - 2003
2. LeBron - 2012
1. Jordan - 1991

2001 Iverson not in there? That was a great run from him tbh.

[AussieFanKurt]

How is Wade 2006 not in the top 6?

because paying stern for FTs isn't an act to be heralded

[Thebesteva]

2001 Iverson not in there? That was a great run from him tbh.

Agreed.