Rank The Top 5 Worst Finals Performances By Top 15 Players of all time

[Nilocon165]

Some noteable ones

Lebron 2011
Curry 2016
Kobe 2000
Wilt 1969
Kobe 2004
Lebron 2007

[Maverick Carter]

Kobe in 2000 and 2004 was really abysmal. In 2004, it was as if he was sabotaging his own team. Yes, he was THAT bad.

[TommyGriffin]

Kobe in 2000 and 2004 was really abysmal. In 2004, it was as if he was sabotaging his own team. Yes, he was THAT bad.

In 2000 Bryant was only 21 years old. In 2004 Kobe was playing against one of the greatest defenses of all time that under the 2004 NBA rule-set was allowed to use tactics which today would be deemed illegal. (http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html)

[TommyGriffin]

Some noteable ones

Lebron 2011
Curry 2016*
Kobe 2000
Wilt 1969
Kobe 2004
Lebron 2007

Curry was injured during the 2016 Playoffs and was not healthy during the Finals.

[Maverick Carter]

In 2000 Bryant was only 21 years old. In 2004 Kobe was playing against one of the greatest defenses of all time that under the 2004 NBA rule-set was allowed to use tactics which today would be deemed illegal. (http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html)

Being 21 doesn't make you shoot 36% from the field in single coverage or average and atrocious 15, 4,4.
In 2004, Shaq was the focus of the defense's attention and Kobe was raped by T prince on single coverage to the tune of 38% shooting while single handedly wrecking the Lakers' chance at victory. It was the biggest individual bottle job in nba history.

[Maverick Carter]

Curry was injured during the 2016 Playoffs and was not healthy during the Finals.

Curry is better than any version of Kobe. Has already surpassed him in PER and already has more mvps in the past 2 years than Kobe had in 20 years

[TommyGriffin]

Being 21 doesn't make you shoot 36% from the field in single coverage or average and atrocious 15, 4,4.
In 2004, Shaq was the focus of the defense's attention and Kobe was raped by T prince on single coverage to the tune of 38% shooting while single handedly wrecking the Lakers' chance at victory. It was the biggest individual bottle job in nba history.

How many 21 year olds do you know of that rip it up in their first Finals?

[TommyGriffin]

Curry is better than any version of Kobe. Has already surpassed him in PER and already has more mvps in the past 2 years than Kobe had in 20 years

How is this relevant to my post or the topic at hand?

[Cold soul]

Curry is better than any version of Kobe. Has already surpassed him in PER and already has more mvps in the past 2 years than Kobe had in 20 years

Wow you really are special kind of retarded aren't, you? Curry lost FMVP to role player in Iggy in 2015 and is overrated hasn't shown up Finals and been lackluster in playoffs in his career to say the least.

[Cold soul]

Lebron 2011
Kobe 2004
Curry 2016
Lebron 2007
Dirk Nowitzki 2006

[Sarcastic]

Is that top 15 at the time of the Finals or top 15 all time?

[Nilocon165]

Is that top 15 at the time of the Finals or top 15 all time?

top 15 all time but they have to have been good for sometime and it can't be near retirement

[Gotterdammerung]

1. Wilt Chamberlain 1969 Finals
While the Stilt averaged 20.5 ppg at 58% FG during the season, he dropped to 11.7 ppg, and shot horribly from the line, devastating in a series the Lakers lost by only 4.5 ppg in their 4 losing games.

2. Kareem Abdul Jabbar 1988, '89 Finals
While KAJ was shit at this point, the Lakers didn't need him at his best to win back to back. Partially mitigated by the fact that he was what, over 40?

3. Michael Jordan. 1996 Finals
While Jordan's stats dropped across the board from his Finals averages (27 ppg at 42% FG) they're not that bad. In fact MJ played well in 3 of the 4 victories, averaging 31 ppg, 5rpg, 5 apg, 2spg at 46% FG. Also he shut down the Glove in Game 3 and 5.

4. Bill Russell 1958 Finals
Russell injured his ankle and could only play 4 of the 6 Finals games. He did average 14 ppg and 19 rpg, at 35% FG, much lower than the regular season. We won't know if had he played, the results would've been different, cuz by the time Russell injured his ankle, the score was tied 49 at Game 3, being tied at 1-1.

5. Oscar Robertson. 1974 Finals
Mr. Triple Double was a shell of himself at this point, averaging a mortal 12ppg, 8 apg, 3.7 rpg at 43%FG. But by then, the Bucks were decimated by injuries and the Big O was 35 years old, long past his prime, and they forced a game 7.

6. Hakeem Olajuwon. 1986 Finals
Although Olajuwon averaged 25 ppg and 12 rpg, along with 3.2 blocks and 2.3 steals per game, he shot only 47% FG and the Rockets kept him off McHale, the Celtics' best low post scorer.

7. Shaquille O'Neal. 2006 Finals
Even though the Heat won the series, Shaq averaged a mortal 13 and 10, and shot FT horribly at 29%. He wasn't this shitty during the preceding rounds (21 ppg, 10 rpg at 61%FG). The Mavericks did not have a great interior defender (Dampier, my ass), but the Heat took advantage of Wade's brilliant dominance and won the final 4 games.

8. LeBron James. 2007 or 2011 Finals
I would give LBJ a pass on the 2007 Finals, because the Cavaliers shouldn't have been there, and they were playing against a dominant machine in the Spurs. So I'd go with the 2011 Finals, when the stakes were much higher, & LBJ just fell apart under pressure.


9. Magic Johnson. 1984 Finals
Magic wasn't bad in this series, averaging 18 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 13.6 apg, and 2 steals at 56% FG. But he kept screwing it up in the clutch, in Games 2 and 4.

10. Larry Bird. 1981 Finals
Bird wasn't great in this series, averaging only 15 ppg, but he pulled down 15 boards per and hit 7 assists a game. He practically neutralized the immortal rebound king, Moses on the glass.

11. Doctor J. 1983 Finals
Although the Doctor was the third leading scorer, averaging 19 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 5 apg, the Sixers were unstoppable and swept the Lakers, so this can't really be pinned on him.

12. Tim Duncan. 2005 Finals
Although the Spurs won the title, and Duncan neutralized the Wallace brothers (who pulled down 27 rpg together in the previous Finals) to a mortal 16 rpg, he shot poorly at 41.9% FG as the Spurs' first option.

13. Kobe Bryant 2004 Finals
We all know the numbers (22.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.4 apg at 38% FG) and that he only had to guard Rip Hamilton. But how do you play 46 minutes per game and only pull down fewer than 3 rebounds? While the Pistons were legendary on defense, didn't Kobe drop 26, 6, 6 with 46% FG on the actual number one defensive team that year in the Spurs?

14. Jerry West 1972 Finals
The Basketball Gods were cruel to Jerry. Despite having the greatest NBA finals of all time in 1969, and losing by a couple of points, they let him finally win in 1972, but only with mortal production (20 ppg, 4 rpg, 9 apg at a horrid 33% FG). Clyde destroyed his ass as a matter of fact.

15. Moses Malone 1981 Finals
While Moses did average a very solid 22 and 16, he shot a laughable 40%, especially for a center.

[SouBeachTalents]

1. Wilt Chamberlain 1969 Finals
While the Stilt averaged 20.5 ppg at 58% FG during the season, he dropped to 11.7 ppg, and shot horribly from the line, devastating in a series the Lakers lost by only 4.5 ppg in their 4 losing games.

2. Kareem Abdul Jabbar 1988, '89 Finals
While KAJ was shit at this point, the Lakers didn't need him at his best to win back to back. Partially mitigated by the fact that he was what, over 40?

3. Michael Jordan. 1996 Finals
While Jordan's stats dropped across the board from his Finals averages (27 ppg at 42% FG) they're not that bad. In fact MJ played well in 3 of the 4 victories, averaging 31 ppg, 5rpg, 5 apg, 2spg at 46% FG. Also he shut down the Glove in Game 3 and 5.

4. Oscar Robertson. 1974 Finals
Mr. Triple Double was a shell of himself at this point, averaging a mortal 12ppg, 8 apg, 3.7 rpg at 43%FG. But by then, the Bucks were decimated by injuries and the Big O was 35 years old, long past his prime, and they forced a game 7.

5. Hakeem Olajuwon. 1986 Finals
6. Shaquille O'Neal. 2006 Finals
7. LeBron James. 2007 or 2011 Finals
8. Magic Johnson. 1984 Finals
9. Larry Bird. 1981 Finals
10. Doctor J.
11. Tim Duncan. 2005 Finals
12. Kobe Bryant 2004 Finals
13. Jerry West 1972 Finals
14. Moses Malone 1981 Finals
15. Elgin Baylor 1969 Finals

(to be edited later)

Lol at 2011 LeBron only being 7th, that was EASILY worse than '96 Jordan. Ditto Curry this year as well, that should absolutely be on the list. Also, how the fucc is Hakeem's '86 Finals on this list? Dude averaged 25/12/2/2/3 on 48% and won two games against a team many consider the GOAT in the '86 Celtics

[NBAGOAT]

Lol at 2011 LeBron only being 7th, that was EASILY worse than '96 Jordan. Ditto Curry this year as well, that should absolutely be on the list. Also, how the fucc is Hakeem's '86 Finals on this list? Dude averaged 25/12/2/2/3 on 48% and won two games against a team many consider the GOAT in the '86 Celtics

I'm pretty sure this is his GOAT list and he's just listing the worst finals for each player. It's why there's no Curry. This really makes Dr.J look good however since he's the only guy op can't think of a bad finals for

Edit: and I just noticed, where the hell is Russell.